https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog.atomSurvival Knife Experts - The Survival Knife Blog2017-06-26T17:54:00-04:00Survival Knife Expertshttps://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/84310020-cold-steel-spike-tanto-review2017-06-26T17:54:00-04:002017-07-22T19:57:07-04:00Cold Steel Tanto Spike ReviewLeighton Taylor
The best all-purpose survival knife probably won’t be a neck knife. But a neck knife is definitely a good backup knife to have with you. Neck knives have become more popular over the years, and it’s not surprising in the least. These little babies do have their uses. That’s why, today, we’ll be doing a Cold Steel Spike Tanto review to see how useful this particular neck knife can be.

But before I go in-depth on what our little Spike can do, I’d like to list down the specs that Cold Steel gave this knife. With an overall length of 8 inches, the Spike Tanto is a full tang blade with a zero grind. It is made of German 4116 stainless steel and is 4 inches long and 3 mm thick.

The best survival knife probably won’t be a neck knife for very obvious reasons. But a neck knife is definitely a good backup knife to have with you. Neck knives have become more popular over the years, and it’s not surprising in the least. These little babies do have their uses. That’s why, today, we’ll be doing a Cold Steel Spike Tanto review to see how useful this particular neck knife can be.

But before I go in-depth on what our little Spike can do, I’d like to list down the specs that Cold Steel gave this knife. With an overall length of 8 inches, the Spike Tanto is a full tang blade with a zero grind. It is made of German 4116 stainless steel and is 4 inches long and 3 mm thick.

The Spike Tanto is pretty small and slim (even with the sheath) which is what you want in a neck knife. The weight of the knife is 5.07 ounces, so it’s pretty light too. The Spike Tanto has a Faux G-10 handle and comes with a Secure-Ex sheath.

Now, on to the meat of this Cold Steel Spike Tanto review. Based on its specs alone, this is the type of neck knife that anyone would want to have. It’s light, very slim, and it comes with a Secure-Ex sheath that fits it like a glove. What does these all mean?

One of the main requirements for a neck knife is that it doesn’t weigh your neck down when you carry it. Another requirement would be that it shouldn’t be noticeable under your shirt. One last requirement is that the knife should be secured tightly in its sheath so that you don’t have to worry about accidentally stabbing yourself in the chest while carrying it. (That could be bad...) So that’s a three for three for Cold Steel’s Spike Tanto.

What about usefulness? Well, there are some obvious limitations because of the Spike Tanto’s weight and size. Don’t expect to be able to baton wood with this little baby or perform any heavy duty task. But these tasks aside, this neck knife is pretty handy to have. It works perfectly as a utility knife for several reasons. One, it’s extremely sharp right out of the box. You can cut through thick cardboard like butter with the Spike Tanto. Skinning, slicing, cutting, carving, shaving, and other similar utility work will be a breeze with this knife.

Another reason that this knife is great for general tasks is its handle. The Faux G-10 handle gives a very firm grip, dry or wet. There is no need to worry that the knife will slip from the hand while slicing, puncturing, or carving something. The quillion is an added bonus for protecting your fingers from the knife’s cutting edge. The Spike Tanto also feels well-balanced in the hand and can be comfortably held in either forward or reverse grip.

The last feature that makes this neck knife great for utility work is the material – German 4116 stainless steel. Now, I’m not a fan of stainless steel because I prefer carbon steel. That being said, the Spike Tanto’s blade is very tough and durable. Despite its appearance, the blade won’t break easily.

One other thing I’d like to mention about the Spike Tanto is that it’s perfect for self-defense. It has a very strong tip for penetration and, being a lightweight, will be easy to wield (despite any lack of fighting skills) when fending off an attacker.

Knowing all of these things about Cold Steel’s Spike Tanto, I would definitely add it to my list of survival knives. While it won’t be as versatile as other knives out there (because it IS a neck knife), it would still be able to serve me well enough. The best thing about this is that if, by a stroke of bad luck, I lose everything I’m carrying in the woods (bags and stuff), I will still have this little thing stuck around my neck to help save the day.

What we love about Cold Steel's Tanto Spike

This neck knife is an extremely sharp and tough knife that can perform utility tasks pretty well. It has a very secure grip and comes with an excellent sheath. What I love the most about this knife is that you can hang it around your neck, forget that it’s there, and just use it for emergencies like losing or forgetting your main knife.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/12147253-10-of-the-best-survival-knives-on-the-market2017-06-14T17:23:00-04:002017-07-11T21:57:23-04:00Our Favorites: Top 10 Best Survival KnivesLeighton Taylor
If you're going to be in a life-or-death situation, you want to have the best survival knife with you. Of course, different knives have their pros and cons that make them suitable for different situations. However, there are some features that any survival knife should have in order to be dependable and effective for the widest variety of situations.

With that in mind, here is my list of the 10 best survival knives that are available to the modern outdoorsman:

This serious hunk of metal is a high quality, ergonomic survival knife that can be used to perform very demanding tasks such as batoning wood and detailed ones such as whittling a spear or filleting a fish. The Becker Campanion has, quite possibly, one of the most durable blades you'll ever see which easily makes it one of the best survival knives out in the market today.

Made of stainless laminate VG10 custom steel, the Forest S1 can handle a lot of abuse and still remain standing - a characteristic that certainly qualifies this knife as one of the best survival knives. It's razor sharp and, due to its convex ground blade, has amazing edge retention. Designed specifically for wilderness survival, you can easily perform small, detailed tasks as well as heavy duty ones such as hammering and batoning.

This knife can best be described in three words: sturdy, sharp, and strong. It can withstand some pretty good bashing and still last for a long time. And though it is a bit heavier than other knives, the aggressive contouring on the handle and the large finger grooves provide a secure grip. All in all, it should be quite useful to anyone who needs a dependable survival knife.

The Leatherneck SF makes it to our best survival knives list for several reasons. Aside from the excellent craftmanship, this knife is extremely durable, deadly sharp, has good wear and corrosion resistance, and is beautifully balanced. The Kraton grip fits perfectly in your hand, giving you a solid, comfortable grip. All around, this is quite an impressive knife to have when the going gets tough.

The Ka-Bar is a knife that's perfect for camping, hunting, and survival. The handle is superb, the balance is great, and it holds up really well even after a great deal of hacking, cutting, and digging. You can be sure that this knife will be around long enough for you to pass on to your grandkids. Definitely a must-have on our top 10 list.

The BK10 gets on our list because it is the perfect compromise between size and thickness. It's plenty thick for heavy duty tasks but light enough that it feels like an extension of your hand. This all-around camp knife is a serious tool that any outdoorsman would be proud to have. Good balance, comfortable grip, and high quality material makes the BK10 easily one of the best survival knives.

Just like all the other knives on our list, the Bushman Bowie is sharp, well-balanced, and sturdy. The hollow handle allows you to mount it onto a wooden stick, creating a spear. The high-carbon steel is so tough that you have no problem chopping through almost anything. This multi-functional knife comes with a fire starter which is definitely handy especially if you're going far away from civilization.

This durable, highly efficient knife was made by a top-notch craftsman - Allen Elishewitz. The tip is thick and strong enough that it won't easily break but also won't hinder penetration. And though it weighs a bit heavy, it's quite easy to wield. Lastly, it has a chisel ground edge at the blade’s back for chopping so you won't dull the fine edge due to the heavy stuff.

Though it might turn some off, the Big Brother can definitely make you feel like Rambo because it is that impressive. Fortunately, it also performs quite well and the weight isn't a hindrance at all. It keeps a nice edge even after hacking your way through several branches. Plus, the Kraton handle is just about perfect. This is one badass knife!

This sharp, strong, versatile knife comes in a small package but sure does pack a punch. It's sharp out of the box, holds a good edge, and quite rust resistant. The flat grind on the back of the blade is a perfect fire steel striker. The jimping on the spine gives you better control when performing detailed tasks and the handle gives you a great grip. All in all, this is a great all-around camp knife.

When talking about survival knives, many of us imagine a big, strong blade with a hefty handle that can withstand just about any abuse you can think of. Some of us even imagine a Rambo knife that's so huge, it could be a machete. But, of course, size is not what a survival knife is all about. At least, not JUST that. There are several other knife features that are essential to ensuring your survival. So today, we're going to take a look at Cold Steel's Survival Edge to talk about whether or not it has what it takes to be a true survival knife.

When talking about survival knives, many of us imagine a big, strong blade with a hefty handle that can withstand just about any abuse you can think of. Some of us even imagine a Rambo knife that's so huge, it could be a machete. But, of course, size is not what a survival knife is all about. At least, not JUST that. There are several other knife features that are essential to ensuring your survival. So today, we're going to take a look at Cold Steel's Survival Edge to talk about whether or not it has what it takes to be a true survival knife.

KNIFE FEATURES

Let's start with the basics - the specs. The Survival Edge has an overall length of 9 1/4 inches and weighs 3 ounces. The bowie blade is 2.5 mm thick, measures 5 inches long, and is made of German 4116 Stainless Steel. The handle is made from Polypropylene with several rubber "O" rings and a double quillon guard to provide a secure grip.

The handle is hollow with a waterproof cap at the end, allowing the owner to store small survival aids within it such as cotton balls, bandaids, tinder, matches, hooks, and thread. Obviously, the Survival Edge is not a full tang knife. The knife comes with an ambidextrous Secure-Ex sheath and a ferro rod that has its own hidey-hole.

So, does this sound like a good survival knife? I would say yes, for the most part. The length is just about right - not too long, not too short.

The rubber "O" rings give you the traction you need to secure the knife in your hand even when wet. The double quillon guard works great for protecting your hand AND has lashing slots so you can tie the knife to the end of a stick to create a spear.

As an added bonus, the Survival Edge is extremely light so you won't feel burdened carrying it around. In fact, I doubt you'd notice it was there on your hip until you needed it. Plus, the knife is so light that it actually floats on water so you won't have to worry about losing it if you're on a river excursion or something.

Since the handle is hollow and watertight, you can store enough gear in it to get you out of a pinch. If you somehow lost your backpack where all your stuff is, having a few extra supplies in your knife will definitely save the day.

BUT I do have some reservations based on the specs. Because this is a hollow handle knife, it definitely isn't a full tang blade which I believe is an essential feature of a true survival knife. Partial tang blades have a weak spot - the point where the blade and the handle are joined. If these two parts aren't properly joined, even the lightest of use can cause them to separate, leaving you without any knife at all.

I also don't like stainless steel as the material of my survival knife. Carbon steel, in my opinion, is the better material because it is generally stronger, easier to sharpen, and can be made razor sharp. Of course, stainless steel does have its benefit; it's more rust resistant.

KNIFE PERFORMANCE

One thing you can say about Cold Steel’s knives is that they are razor sharp right out of the box. But how does it hold up in the great outdoors? Well, it actually exceeded my expectations. Because the knife is very light and is not a full tang blade, I had some misgivings about using it in performing some heavy duty tasks such as batoning.

Even Cold Steel stated that it’s not made for batoning. Of course, since I want to see how well I would survive with just this knife, I just had to test it. And it did the job pretty well without breaking or falling apart.

As for chopping, I don’t think the knife performed well. When used on a thick rope or block of wood, there were some dents made but not as great as one would expect from a true survival knife.

Cutting rope also required quite a bit of effort. It did the job but it’s not as easy as you might expect it to be. All in all, if I were to be stuck in the wild with this knife, at least I would be able to perform heavy duty tasks decently (with a bit of effort on my part) without the knife falling apart.

What about light duty tasks? I’d say that this is where the knife excels. It’s very sharp and the handle gives you a very firm grip so you can easily do any fine detail work. You can easily dress game, carve wood, clean fish, and make fire.

To be honest, I don't think the Survival Edge is a true survival knife since there are a lot of other knives out there that perform way better. But, in a pinch, I'd say I'd get by pretty well should I find myself stranded somewhere with just this knife to help me survive. The fact that you can carry other small supplies inside the handle is definitely an added bonus.

Survival situations aside, Cold Steel's Survival Edge is the perfect tool to take with you if you're backpacking or hiking in the woods since weight is a concern. Plus, it’s a basic fixed blade that can be relied on to perform camp chores quite adequately.

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THE COLD STEEL SURVIVAL EDGE

While it’s not an ideal survival knife, the Survival Edge is a tool that is not to be taken lightly. It can perform both heavy duty and light duty tasks quite decently. It fits well in the hand and can be used to store additional survival supplies like hooks, needles, bandaids, etc. The best thing about this knife is that you can put it in your bug out bag or tool box and forget about it until you actually need it.

So I've been playing this game on PS3 for the past few days, and it's about the zombie apocalypse. Naturally, my character is some badass guy who can use various weapons to kill zombies and some very bad humans. Anyway, in the game, my character realizes that one of the best ways to kill a zombie is with a shiv or a knife because they can be killed quickly and quietly (not alerting other zombies in the vicinity) with just a quick jab in the neck. So it got me thinking. What knife would I want to have if I suddenly found myself living in a post-apocalyptic world, particularly one that featured zombies? Well, a lot of knives come to mind and I'll probably write something about my top choices later on. For now though, I thought it would be cool to review a knife on its capability of ensuring my survival in such a scenario.

So I've been playing this game on PS3 for the past few days, and it's about the zombie apocalypse. Naturally, my character is some badass guy who can use various weapons to kill zombies and some very bad humans. Anyway, in the game, my character realizes that one of the best ways to kill a zombie is with a shiv or a knife because they can be killed quickly and quietly (not alerting other zombies in the vicinity) with just a quick jab in the neck. So it got me thinking. What knife would I want to have if I suddenly found myself living in a post-apocalyptic world, particularly one that featured zombies? Well, a lot of knives come to mind and I'll probably write something about my top choices later on. For now though, I thought it would be cool to review a knife on its capability of ensuring my survival in such a scenario.

With all that in mind, let's take a look at Cold Steel's Outdoorsman. The name itself is quite telling... at least in portraying its intended use. This full tang knife has an overall length of 11 inches with a blade that's 6 inches long. The blade style is straight back and the material used to forge it is VG-1 San Mai III® Steel. The blade is decently thick - 3/16 inches. The back of the blade has some jimping and a "bone breaker" edge. The handle is made of checkered Kraton, no finger grooves though. The Outdoorsman weighs 9.9 ounces and comes with a black leather sheath.

OUTDOOR SURVIVAL

Just by looking at the specs, it would seem to me that the Outdoorsman would perform pretty well as a survival knife. It is a full tang fixed blade that is extremely sharp directly out of the box, exactly what I prefer in a survival knife. The Outdoorsman has just about the perfect length and weight for a hunting knife while still being effective for light chopping tasks.

Though it has no finger grooves, the checkered Kraton handle provides a very solid grip. And since the handle has a tanto grip, the knife can be held with the edge up or down. More on that later.

But what about the material? I've always preferred carbon steel over stainless steel. It's much more durable, can be easily sharpened, and can be made razor sharp. But since we're talking about the zombie apocalypse where you don't really know what type of environment you'll find yourself in, a rust resistant blade would probably be your best bet. The construction of this particular blade also makes it an ideal knife for survival in such a scenario. The Outdoorsman has a core of VG-1 stainless steel layered twice with a tougher stainless steel. The end result is a very tough blade (nearly unbreakable as some have said) that has great edge retention.

When it comes to performing outdoor tasks, the Outdoorsman definitely lives up to its name. It can hack branches off, clear away some brush, skin game, pry stuff out, and carve wood without losing its razor sharp edge or chipping off pieces of the blade.

For heavy chopping tasks, you have the "bone breaker" found on the blade's spine. The jimping is an added bonus because it gives you great control. I'd definitely say that, in a zombie apocalypse, this seems to be a great knife for providing me with my basic needs. It's important to note that the knife is easy to clean and will stay sharp for a very long time (despite whatever abuse you hurl at it) so that's two things you won't have to worry about when there are zombies around.

COMBAT SURVIVAL

Obviously, in a zombie apocalypse, your knife is not only a high-end tool for outdoor survival. It would definitely also be a tool for defending yourself. Now, I'm not a guy with any fighting experience, so I'm only inferring from the specs and from what I've seen the knife can do. The Outdoorsman has a bit of a piercing tip that's really tough. So, I imagine it wouldn't be hard to use it to stab a zombie in the neck, not to mention that you wouldn't have to worry about the tip breaking off. The steel butt cap at the end of the handle would work well for knocking someone unconscious.

And since the knife has a tanto grip, you can easily hold it in your hand with the edge facing up or down - a feature that you'd definitely need to have in times of combat. Based on the design and the construction of the Outdoorsman, I'd say that it could give some combat knives a run for their money.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE COLD STEEL OUTDOORSMAN

Overall, I'd say that this knife is definitely a tool that will serve you well in a zombie apocalypse. It's extremely sharp and tough. There's no doubt that it would be able to perform well as an outdoor survival knife and a combat knife. You can do your wood processing tasks (both light and heavy), skin game, chop bones, pry wood, and defend yourself without having to worry about rust or breakage.

If you want to have this well-designed knife in your collection (just in case there is a zombie apocalypse), check it out on Amazon here.

You've landed yourself a beautiful USMC 1218 with a serrated edge and a gorgeous leather sheath. This leather sheath is arguably the most important accessory for your survival knife, like all sheaths are for the blades they carry and protect. This means that taking care of your sheath is almost as important as taking care of your knife. As one of the most popular sheath materials, leather is, unfortunately, one of the most difficult to maintain, so, we'll be listing some of the best leather sheath care tips to help you keep your leather sheath in tip top shape.

You've landed yourself a beautiful USMC 1218 with a serrated edge and a gorgeous leather sheath. This leather sheath is arguably the most important accessory for your survival knife, like all sheaths are for the blades they carry and protect. This means that taking care of your sheath is almost as important as taking care of your knife. As one of the most popular sheath materials, leather is, unfortunately, one of the most difficult to maintain, so, we'll be listing some of the best leather sheath care tips to help you keep your leather sheath in tip top shape.

#1: Don't wait until the leather starts to harden or crack before you start taking care of it. Yes, you can still save the sheath by treating it properly with some leather conditioner. That's not the point. Aside from the fact that it looks ugly (not worn and used and manly and tough like you might think), moisture in the edges of your sheath and along the stitching can lead to the ultimate ruin of your blade. And if that moisture isn't ruining your blade, your knife will likely be cutting up your sheath if your it has hardened.

#2: Avoid using shoe polish because it will rub off on your clothes whenever you wear the sheath. 'Nuff said.

#3: Always read the label on treatment products. This is one of the most extremely important yet sometimes overlooked leather sheath care tips. Leather is basically just skin, and not all ingredients used by manufacturers of leather treatment products are good for skin. One example is neatsfoot oil. Some brands of neatsfoot oil out there contain petroleum which basically dries the leather up by removing all the oil. Think of it this way, if you wouldn't put it on your skin, then don’t put it on your sheath.

Some of the main components that you do want are beeswax, natural oils, and natural preservatives. Aside from ingredients, labels will also tell you if the product's purpose is not what you're looking for. For example, some leather conditioners are designed to soften leather used in footwear. And while that's great for your shoes, it would soften your leather sheath too much.

#4: Use your oil sparingly. Use too much and it will seep through your sheath and reach your knife. And even a stainless steel knife can get rust when exposed too much to moisture.

#5: A new leather sheath sometimes still has some abrasive grit embedded in it which will scratch your blade or, worse, dull it considerably. It may also destroy the stitches in the sheath. Of course, it's something you can always redo but why not avoid that scenario altogether?

#6: If your sheath gets wet, don't dry it out too fast. Let it dry out naturally. If it dries up too fast (because you placed it near your campfire or something), it'll lose all of its natural oils and become stiff and dry. Once this happens, say goodbye to your sheath because there is no restoring it.

Take these leather sheath care tips to heart, and you won’t have to worry about replacing your leather sheath for a long while. If you feel like it’s too much of a bother, keep in mind that you’re only as good as your gear.

We’ve already given Schrade’s SCHF3N Extreme Survival Knife our thumbs up. But what about the SCHF3? Is there even a difference? Let’s take a look at what this version has to offer and how well it holds up to its title “Extreme Survival Knife.”

THE SPECS

Like the SCHF3N, the SCHF3 is a full tang, fixed blade knife. Both knives are also of the same size and weight. The SCHF3’s entire length is 12 inches with a 6.4-inch blade and a Micarta handle that’s 5.6 inches long. It’s a bit on the hefty side, weighing 1.37 lbs. Both blades are made from 7C17 High Carbon Stainless Steel with a clip point or Bowie design. So, what’s the difference? It’s in the edge of the blade. The SCHF3N is a straight edge while the SCHF3 is partially serrated.

We’ve already given Schrade’s SCHF3N Extreme Survival Knife our thumbs up. But what about the SCHF3? Is there even a difference? Let’s take a look at what this version has to offer and how well it holds up to its title “Extreme Survival Knife.”

THE SPECS

Like the SCHF3N, the SCHF3 is a full tang, fixed blade knife. Both knives are also of the same size and weight. The SCHF3’s entire length is 12 inches with a 6.4-inch blade and a Micarta handle that’s 5.6 inches long. It’s a bit on the hefty side, weighing 1.37 lbs. Both blades are made from 7C17 High Carbon Stainless Steel with a clip point or Bowie design. So, what’s the difference? It’s in the edge of the blade. The SCHF3N is a straight edge while the SCHF3 is partially serrated.

PERFORMANCE & DURABILITY

So, we’ve already established that there’s only one difference between the two knives. And Schrade must be given points for offering two different configurations of a knife with these specs. After all, you can’t please everyone with just one knife. But before we get into discussing my view on that particular point, let’s first look at how some of the features of this knife rate.

I’ve always held the opinion that a survival knife should be full tang and a fixed blade. This is because it lends to the knife’s durability and strength. The type of material used to make the blade also adds to those characteristics. Now, I must admit that I have always preferred high carbon 1095 steel over all the others simply because I believe that it’s extremely tough and can take all the abuse you can think to put it through. Plus, this type of steel maintains an edge very well.

With that being said, 7C17 high carbon stainless steel is not something to sniff at. This material is also rock solid and has qualities of high carbon and stainless steel that I like – corrosion resistant and great edge retention. With a knife like this, you can be sure that batoning and chopping wood in damp or wet environments won’t affect its performance at all.

Like the SCHF3N, the length and weight of this knife are almost perfect. I’d prefer the knife to be a little bit shorter (around 10 inches) but… for its purpose (survival), the SCHF3 holds its own. It can perform demanding tasks such as batoning and chopping with ease. As for detailed work, I’d say it can still perform pretty well if you use the right edge.

THE BLADE

Now on to the main point – the partially serrated edge. Personally, I don’t like partially serrated edges. I’m a straight edge kind of guy because it is overall more versatile. A knife with a serrated edge, even a partial one, gives you two clear disadvantages. First, a serrated edge isn’t that good for carving or batoning/chopping. Second, it’s much harder to sharpen.

On the other hand, a partially serrated edge can be a tad more convenient because you get two types of edges for the price of one. You can do push cuts using your straight edge and slice through tough material like rope using your serrated edge. All that being said, I would have to admit that, after putting this knife through rugged use and tough conditions, it performed pretty well. And that’s all you really need for a survival knife.

THE HANDLE

Before move onto the sheath, I must say that the handle on the SCHF3 is very ergonomic. The deep finger grooves are just right, giving you a very solid and comfortable grip. There’s also jimping on the back of the knife which gives you extra leverage when you’re doing detailed work. The lanyard at the end of the handle is just added insurance in case it does slip.

THE SHEATH

As for the sheath, it’s a pretty good one especially at the price you’re paying. Multiple attachment points, adjustable Velcro straps, and a large front pouch for your sharpening stone, fire starter, and compass. Quite possibly the best thing about this sheath is that it can be used by left-handed or right-handed people. Just take out the plastic insert, turn it around, put it back in and you’ve got your left-handed sheath!

WHY WE LIKE SCHRADE'S SCHF3 EXTREME SURVIVAL KNIFE

At this price, you definitely get a lot of bang for your buck. The SCHF3 is solid, tough, and looks really wicked. It has the perfect length and weight for performing demanding tasks. It feels really good in your hand. It can serve as both survival knife and combat knife. And the sheath ain’t bad. With the SCHF3, you definitely get more than what you pay for.

Without a close inspection, this knife could easily be mistaken as the widely popular Schrade SCHF9. BUT, this knife is actually the "little brother” of the Schrade SCHF9. Meet the Schrade SCHF9N. Though greatly similar, there are some things that differentiate the two from each other. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the SCHF9N and why anyone might want to add it to their little (or extensive) knife collection.

Without a close inspection, this knife could easily be mistaken as the widely popular Schrade SCHF9. BUT, this knife is actually the "little brother” of the Schrade SCHF9. Meet the Schrade SCHF9N. Though greatly similar, there are some things that differentiate the two from each other. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the SCHF9N and why anyone might want to add it to their little (or extensive) knife collection.

First, let’s talk specs. The SCHF9N is 12.1 inches long with a blade length of 6.4 inches. The blade is full tang, ¼ inch thick, made of 8Cr13MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel, and has a drop point style and a hollow grind. The handle is Kraton with a lanyard hole at the end. So what do these specs mean in terms of how it performs in the great outdoors? Well, let’s get started.

THE BLADE

The material, 8Cr13MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel, is very tough. It’s not 1095 Carbon Steel which is my personal preference. But for a stainless steel, this one is pretty good. And because of the corrosion resistant nature of stainless steel, it will undoubtedly last way better in damp or wet environments. The blade style, thickness, and grind all mean that the SCHF9N will perform really well on most outdoor tasks.

While I much prefer a flat grind, hollow grind would probably be my second choice. This type of grind means that the blade has a sharper edge, giving it a great deal of finesse when it comes to chopping, hacking, slicing, skinning, and other types of detailed work. And because it’s made of very good steel and is reasonably thick enough, this blade is unlikely to break even under tons of abuse. Most definitely a plus.

Now, I’ve read some complaints about the knife not being razor sharp right out of the box. But, that isn’t the case with me or with Preparedmind101. As the video shows, the knife can shave off the hair on your arm even without any additional sharpening being done by the owner. Maybe some reviewers feel that this level of sharpness still isn’t good enough but I, for one, am very satisfied.

THE HANDLE

In comparison to other knives, the Kraton handles on this one could have been made better. The image above clearly shows that the tang and the handle scales don’t match very well in some places. A picky person would probably be pretty turned off by that little detail. To be fair, though, the ill-matched tang and handle scales don't make that much of a difference.

What matters is that the handle is very grippy and fits well in the hand (though some have found the scales a bit too big). The handle is also designed with finger grooves that really add to its comfort and grippiness. In short, the handle isn’t perfect but in terms of function, it does the job really well in my opinion.

THE SHEATH

While there are plenty of good things to say about the knife, the same can’t be said about the sheath. Now, when it comes to sheaths, there’s a great deal of preference that comes into play. But, in this case, it wouldn’t matter what your preference is because this one doesn’t quite meet the most essential requirement for a good one. The biggest complaint I have with it is that there’s a little bit of give inside the sheath when the knife is inserted.

It’s not as snug as most people (like me) would like. The only thing that’s ensuring that the knife stays in place is the strap that goes across the handle. If that particular snap should somehow break, there’s a chance you might lose your knife or, worse, accidentally injure yourself when it falls out of the sheath. All that being said, it’s not that big a deal since the cost of the knife is pretty low. And really, when it comes down to it, the knife is the reason for the buy. The sheath is just an added bonus.

WHY WE LIKE THE SCHRADE SCHF9N

Overall, I’d say this is one tank of a knife that can handle just about anything you’ve got. The SCHF9N has a strong, sturdy design that enables it to perform all sorts of wood processing tasks plus some detailed work. The blade is razor sharp out of the box and holds its edge very well. The handle, which some have found wanting, is very grippy so that’s still a plus. While a lot of people are ga-ga over its brother, the SCHF9, I’d say that this particular knife was tweaked in all the right places to give you a better all-around knife. Anyone who buys it will get great value, especially at this price point.

Some might be wondering why we have a picture of a Woodlore knife on a page that says Boker. Well, that's because it's not a Woodlore knife. It actually IS a Boker knife that was designed to look like a Woodlore (at least that's what most of us think). In any case, this is the knife we're reviewing today, and I'm sure everyone's chomping at the bit (including me) to find out what exactly this little demon can do in the bush. But, like any responsible reviewer, specs first.

Some might be wondering why we have a picture of a Woodlore knife on a page that says Boker. Well, that's because it's not a Woodlore knife. It actually IS a Boker knife that was designed to look like a Woodlore (at least that's what most of us think). In any case, this is the knife we're reviewing today, and I'm sure everyone's chomping at the bit (including me) to find out what exactly this little demon can do in the bush. But, like any responsible reviewer, specs first.

This full tang bushcraft knife is 8 5/8 inches long. The blade is 4 inches long and 3.75mm thick. The blade has a drop point style and is made of 440C stainless steel. The blade has a Scandi grind with a small secondary bevel.

The Boker Plus Bushcraft weighs 7.2 ounces (not too heavy) and has handles made of micarta. The sheath is made of black leather with a single loop for your belt and a lanyard hole at the bottom for a neck carry option.

The knife also comes with a ferro rod that is built into an aluminum tube. The tube has a compass located at one end. There's also a little hacksaw striker attached to the tube.

THE KNIFE

Looking at this knife, you can see that the fit and finish seem pretty solid. Some might be concerned that it was manufactured in China but a lot of other good brands do as well (Cold Steel, Gerber, etc.).

Anyway, for a bushcraft knife, it works really well. It’s not fantastic, and it’s not a knife that is fit for all kinds of outdoor use. But, for its price, it can handle a lot of abuse and still perform decently at various outdoor tasks like processing firewood, building shelters, making feather sticks, kitchen prep, etc.

The edge retention is great. It must be said though that the Scandi grind is not really a true Scandi grind. It’s more of an ax grind and may need some “modification.” Plus, 440C stainless steel is pretty tough so it can be a bit of a pain to sharpen. I’d really prefer carbon steel but for those who live in damp or wet environments, SS blades are preferable.

The handle looks great (as it should since it resembles a Woodlore). While some might prefer a bit more contour for better grip, it still feels good and solid in your hand. Besides, the profile of the handle is what makes this knife really fabulous, so why ask for something else?

THE SHEATH

The Boker Plus Bushcraft comes with a pretty standard leather sheath. Nothing really fancy. It looks like it’s made of quality leather so that’s a plus. Like I mentioned before, it has one loop for the belt and a hole at the bottom if you want to carry the knife around your neck.

The knife fits very snugly inside it, so you won’t have to worry about it falling out if you do choose to carry it upside down. Of course, everyone has a certain preference when it comes to sheaths. But, in terms of function, this one works pretty great.

BONUS FEATURES

The ferro rod is a pretty great addition. It throws sparks much like an LMF Firesteel. And the compass is decent, lightweight, and performs fairly accurately for a quick general orientation check. While some may not need this little “kit”, it’s a pretty handy bonus for a $50 knife.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE BOKER PLUS BUSHCRAFT

While it’s definitely not the best bushcraft knife in the market, it certainly is one of the top ones within its price range. It looks really, really good, and it performs well in the bush. While the sheath isn’t fancy, it does the job. And the additional ferro rod plus compass aren’t anything to scoff at either. All in all, I’d consider it a great buy for a knife of this calibre.

It doesn't take any great strength of observation to notice that this knife is a pretty awesome combat knife, and while we'll admit that its primary design function, we've decided to explore its worth as an outdoor knife. The Late Boy Scout has also tested this combat knife for outdoor tasks (which you can tell by the chipping of the black Tuff-Ex finish in the middle of the knife), and wait until you see how it performed. First, though, let’s look at the specs.

It doesn't take any great strength of observation to notice that this knife is a pretty awesome combat knife, and while we'll admit that its primary design function, we've decided to explore its worth as an outdoor knife. The Late Boy Scout has also tested this combat knife for outdoor tasks (which you can tell by the chipping of the black Tuff-Ex finish in the middle of the knife), and wait until you see how it performed. First, though, let’s look at the specs.

Cold Steel’s Recon Tanto 13RTK has an overall length of 11 3/4 inches with a weight of 9 ounces. The blade style is, obviously, tanto. The blade is 7 inches long, has a flat grind, is 3/16 inches thick, and made of Japanese Aus 8A stainless steel. They seem like pretty good specs for a tactical knife. It definitely looks battle ready straight out of the box.

The Late Boy Scout points out that though the blade is 7 inches long, the actual cutting edge is shorter – about 6 inches or so. The Kraton handle is, of course, very grippy and has a single lanyard hole which you can use when doing outdoor tasks.

THE BLADE:

This knife is pretty tough. Our reviewer has used the Recon Tanto for batoning and chopping branches off trees. And while it was designed for combat, it performed admirably. In fact, it was an excellent knife for splitting wood because of several features on the blade.

First, it has a flat grind which means there is less drag/friction when the knife goes through the wood. Second, the thickness of the blade also makes batoning much easier. This just goes to show that the Recon Tanto, despite being a tactical knife, can baton through wood quickly and efficiently.

The tip of the Recon Tanto, along with the rest of the knife, is pretty tough. Japanese Aus 8A stainless steel is a very durable material and is also rust resistant. Of course, if you've read some of my other articles, I still think carbon steel is better. But for review purposes as well as how great the knife held up during outdoor tests, I'd say the stainless steel is good enough in my book.

Anyway, the tip of this knife is pretty tough. It's also a bit shorter than some tanto blade tips. For The Late Boy Scout, this means that there is more stabbing strength because the tip is backed up with the strength of the entire blade stock. In short, the tip will be very, very good at piercing. The Recon Tanto is also great for prying and digging because of this very tough tip.

THE WEIGHT:

The knife weighs a pretty hefty 9 ounces. Now, there are some that weigh more, but I would think (and The Last Boy Scout agrees with me) that as a tactical knife, it should be light in hand. You want to be swift with your knife when fighting.

TLBS also notes that the weight of the knife isn’t that balanced since most of the weight comes from the blade. Of course, he (and I) admit that we’re not really experts on knife fighting. Some reviews on the blade claim that it is well-balanced and lightweight. Those reviewers may be more knowledgeable about that aspect of the knife. Anyway, it’s a point to consider.

THE SHEATH:

The sheath that comes with the Recon Tanto is just about perfect. It holds the knife securely so there's no need to worry about the knife accidentally slipping out while walking. It protects the knife perfectly, has numerous holes allowing the knife to be mounted in various positions, and has a fairly small drain hole that will allow any moisture on the knife to drain out.

WHY WE LIKE COLD STEEL'S RECON TANTO

Simply put, this tactical knife would perform well in an outdoor survival situation despite being designed for a different purpose altogether. And, if you were to find yourself in a combat situation, this knife would most probably also perform pretty well (if you knew what you were doing that is). So, if you're looking for a survival knife with good tactical features, the Recon Tanto just might be the perfect blend of the two.

I know, such a wicked looking blade right? This is the Leatherneck Tanto 39LSFT. The overall length of the knife is 12 inches, weighing 12.6 ounces. The blade is 5mm thick and 7 inches long, (obviously) has a Tanto design, and made of German 4116 stainless steel. The Leatherneck Tanto is hollow ground by hand, has a Kray-Ex™ handle, and comes with a Secure-Ex® Sheath.

The specs all sound good except for two things - I personally prefer a longer blade (10 inches, give or take an inch) and high carbon steel as the blade material. But I’m getting ahead of myself. We’re going to be looking at The Shotgun Guy’s review to see what HE thinks of the Leatherneck Tanto and maybe putting our own two cents in here and there.

I know, such a wicked looking blade right? This is the Leatherneck Tanto 39LSFT. The overall length of the knife is 12 inches, weighing 12.6 ounces. The blade is 5mm thick and 7 inches long, (obviously) has a Tanto design, and made of German 4116 stainless steel. The Leatherneck Tanto is hollow ground by hand, has a Kray-Ex™ handle, and comes with a Secure-Ex® Sheath.

The specs all sound good except for two things - I personally prefer a longer blade (10 inches, give or take an inch) and high carbon steel as the blade material. But I’m getting ahead of myself. We’re going to be looking at The Shotgun Guy’s review to see what HE thinks of the Leatherneck Tanto and maybe putting our own two cents in here and there.

Now, at the start of The Shotgun Guy’s review, he already states that this knife is a combination of the best features of the Leatherneck SF and the Recon Tanto (now who’s jumping the gun?). So we already know where this is possibly going. BUT, let’s go look over the PROS and CONS in his review to see if this knife is worth it in OUR eyes.

PROS

1.) You can use it in humid or wet environments because it’s very corrosion resistant. This is one benefit of using a stainless steel blade.

2.) The Leatherneck Tanto is razor sharp out of the box. It can easily cut through paper and rope. What I’d like to see is if the knife can shave hairs as easily. Now THAT would be an extremely sharp knife.

3.) The blade’s tip is very durable, as Tanto blades usually are. As The Shotgun Guy demonstrates with his knife throwing skills, the tip of the blade doesn’t break when thrown at a tree trunk. Instead, it cuts into the wood and wedges itself in there.

4.) The Secure-Ex® Sheath is also a positive. It’s very sturdy, lots of holes for multiple lashing options. The belt strap has a double flap design (Velcro and a snap) that makes sure the sheath doesn’t slide back and forth while you walk.

The Shotgun Guy also points out that the knife locks into sheath perfectly so it doesn’t rattle around. The snap that goes around the handle provides additional security that your knife really won’t come out of the sheath accidentally.

5.) Full tang blade. ‘Nuff said. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out my explanation on why full tang blades are awesome here.

6.) It has a really nice pommel which can pommel really well. (hmmm...not as funny as it sounded in my head...)

7.) As The Shotgun Guy demonstrates, the knife is very light-weight and nimble. It doesn’t feel heavy or unbalanced in your hand.

CONS

The only con that The Shotgun Guy mentions in his review is the blade material – German 4116 stainless steel. As I mentioned earlier, the high carbon steel is stronger and tougher. It is also easier to sharpen and it can be made extremely sharp.

That being said, field tests done on the Leatherneck Tanto (not in this review) have shown that it can stay sharp enough even after going through tons of abuse like batoning or chopping.

Another negative we've noticed is that the finish on the knife comes off quickly after being used in tasks like chopping and batoning. Of course, that's pretty much a negligible concern (except for aesthetic reasons) because the steel is rust resistant.

WHY WE LIKE COLD STEEL'S LEATHERNECK TANTO 39LSFT

Ok, so the specs (most of them) of the Leatherneck Tanto are awesome. You've got a razor sharp knife that can weather whatever conditions you are facing outdoors, and although it's primarily a combat/tactical knife, it can easily perform wood processing tasks such as batoning and chopping without the blade breaking.

The blade also has excellent edge retention which is a good thing since stainless steel isn’t as easy to sharpen as carbon steel. The sheath is cool and functional. All in all, I’d say give this knife a thumbs up.

This really hunky knife you’re drooling over right now is the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife. It’s a 10-inch knife that weighs 11.5 ounces. The drop point blade is 4.84 inches long, partially serrated, and made out of 420HC stainless steel.

The LMF II’s handle is made out of glass-filled nylon with TPV overmold; it has lanyard holes that allow it to be easily converted into a spear. One of the unique things about the LMF II (whether you’re talking about the Infantry model, the ASEK one, or this one) is that it has a pointed buttcap that can be used as a hammer or a glass breaker AND it’s physically separated from the tang in order to provide shock absorption and protection from electrocution.

This really hunky knife you’re drooling over right now is the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife. It’s a 10-inch knife that weighs 11.5 ounces. The drop point blade is 4.84 inches long, partially serrated, and made out of 420HC stainless steel.

The LMF II’s handle is made out of glass-filled nylon with TPV overmold; it has lanyard holes that allow it to be easily converted into a spear. One of the unique things about the LMF II (whether you’re talking about the Infantry model, the ASEK one, or this one) is that it has a pointed buttcap that can be used as a hammer or a glass breaker AND it’s physically separated from the tang in order to provide shock absorption and protection from electrocution.

Sounds all good, right? Well, it gets better. The LMF II comes with a really great sheath that has 3 retention points making it ready for action. It comes with several types of lashings so it can be attached to the lower leg, the thigh, the belt, a vest/jacket, etc. The sheath is fire resistant which is also great.

The best thing about this sheath, though, is its built-in sharpener. You don’t have to worry about bringing one around with you any time you go out in the field because it’s always with you whenever you carry this knife.

So, it seems that on the surface, the LMF II has everything going for it. As you can see in the beginning of the video, gideonstactical is pretty ecstatic about the features of the knife as well. But how well does it perform in the field?

It’s pretty heavy so while that could be a point against the knife, the other good features of the Gerber LMF II seem to cancel out any negatives the weight might pit against it. Before I digress any further though, let’s talk about how this hunk of steel “survives” in the wild.

FIELD TESTS

Detail Work

#1: The LMF II does perform well when doing detail work whether using the plain edge part of the blade or the serrated part. The shavings are almost paper thin. The handle of the knife fits the hand perfectly, providing the firm grip needed when exerting the level of control this kind of task requires.

Prying, Stabbing, (and Digging)

#2: The tip of the Gerber LMF II blade is extremely strong. It can be used to pry open almost anything open, which might be necessary since a crowbar isn't something that generally goes into a survival kit or camping gear.

The Gerber LMF II can also be used as a shovel if necessary, and it will definitely perform really, really well. While these kinds of tasks are not something you’ll generally be doing with this knife, knowing that the blade is able to withstand this kind of stress will be a comfort in a survival situation even if it is the only tool available.

Wood-processing Tasks

#3: For an almost 5-inch blade, the LMF II is quite a decent chopper. Gideonstactical gives it a grade of light to medium chopping. It isn’t the most ideal or the best one in the market but it will do in a pinch. This, of course, is one of those instances where the weight of the blade is a PRO because heavier weight definitely makes this kind of task easier. And while chopping might not be its forte, the knife can take a beating (as you can see in the video) without losing its edge. It can definitely be used in various wood processing tasks such as hacking and batoning (which the knife can do up to a point), and still remain sharp.

WHY WE LIKE GERBER'S LMF II SURVIVAL KNIFE

The LMF II is an extremely sturdy knife with an incredibly strong tip. The blade is thick and retains its edge really well. The buttcap is really unique and the weight is not as bad as most would think. While the handle could be sturdier (as evidenced in the video), it does give a firm, comfortable grip. And let’s not forget that the LMF II’s sheath might just be one of the greatest sheaths out there. Overall, it’s not a perfect knife but it comes pretty close.

What you’re looking at right now is Cold Steel’s Survival Rescue Knife. Obviously, it’s not as long as some knives out there with an overall length of 10 ¾ inches. The 6 inch blade is full tang, 3/16 inches thick, made of AUS 8A stainless steel, and has a clip point.

Weighing 8.2 ounces, the SRK is pretty light and is said to be a really versatile knife. Of course, that could just be plain advertising so we decided to look into the reviews and see for ourselves how good this knife really is when it comes to survival.

What you’re looking at right now is Cold Steel’s Survival Rescue Knife. Obviously, it’s not as long as some knives out there with an overall length of 10 ¾ inches. The 6 inch blade is full tang, 3/16 inches thick, made of AUS 8A stainless steel, and has a clip point.

Weighing 8.2 ounces, the SRK is pretty light and is said to be a really versatile knife. Of course, that could just be plain advertising so we decided to look into the reviews and see for ourselves how good this knife really is when it comes to survival.

“SOLDIER READY” KNIFE

Nutnfancy open’s his review of Cold Steel’s SRK as one of the most “ideal deployment” knives in the market. When it comes to soldiers, bigger is not always better. The weight and size of your knife will depend on the load that you’ll be carrying (the loadout weight).

A bigger knife will mean additional weight that you do not need if you’re already carrying a heavy load. Of course, the same thing can be said for civilians (like you and me). As we’ve mentioned in previous reviews, a heavy knife means pain if you’re carrying it for more than an hour. With the SRK, you’ve got a knife that’s light enough that it won’t feel like a burden even if you carry it all day long.

SURVIVAL CAPABILITY

Another reason why Nutnfancy considers the SRK on the top of his list is the knife’s survival capability – what it can do in the field (the great outdoors). In comparison to larger knives like Cold Steel’s Trailmaster, the SRK isn’t as good at chopping, hacking or batoning large logs simply because it’s limited by its length and the width of its blade. BUT, it should be noted that it CAN do the job and do it well. It might take a few more passes to split or chop a larger log, but the task will get done.

While it’s not as thick as larger knives, the SRK is thick and sturdy enough that it can be used not only for survival tasks, but also some utility tasks like prying open crates and oil drums, slicing through sheet aluminium and radiator hoses, and any other task that requires brute force.

One negative thing about its thickness that we noticed is that the SRK really isn’t the ideal knife for delicate work like skinning. Again, it will probably be up to the task; it just won’t be as neat as other knives with thinner blades.

OTHER FEATURES

Surprisingly, as Nutnfancy demonstrates, the knife is not razor sharp right out of the box. While every knife owner should know how to sharpen a knife, no one wants to have to deny his/her urge to field test a knife right out of the box because it needs to be sharpened first. The blade has a modified bowie clip design and will definitely resist rust better than knives made of 1095 steel.

What about the handle? As you’ll see in the video, Nutnfancy really fancies (ha ha) the Kraton handle. It’s ergonomic, extremely comfortable in the hand, and will provide a very secure grip even when wet or greasy.

The only bad thing about the handle would be that the little rubber nibs along it will eventaully wear down after considerable handling (years). Aside from being very “grippy”, the SRK also has a single guard that protects the hand from slipping onto the blade.

COMBAT EFFICIENCY

In Nutnfancy’s opinion, the SRK is a pretty good combat knife. Even without the guard on top, the handle provides enough traction to ensure that your grip won't slip forward when stabbing. The knife design (bowie clip and thickness) will pierce, cut, and slash well enough to do some damage serious damage in self-defense.

THE SHEATH

The sheath, which Cold Steel calls ConcealEx, is a plastic sheath that locks the knife inside so it can be worn upside down (if desired). Its multiple attachment holes also allow for all sorts of carry options. Plus, the sheath is light and waterproof, unlike leather sheaths which can be heavy (especially when wet).

WHY WE LIKE THE COLD STEEL SRK 38CK

The SRK is a all-around classic survival and combat knife that works well for cutting, slashing, piercing, prying, chopping, batoning, skinning, and all the other tasks you might need to do while in the field. Now, it might not perform these tasks as well as the much bigger knives in the market, but even with the limitations of its 6-inch blade, the knife will still get the job done. Best of all, its compactness and light weight ensure that it won’t be a hardship to carry around no matter how long you spend in the field.

This wicked-looking knife that you’re seeing right now is the Ka-Bar BK10 Crewman. It was initially designed to replace the earlier version of the Air Force survival knife. It’s a full tang knife that measures a total of 10 7/8 inches. The 5 ½” straight edge blade has a flat ground and is made of 1095 Cro-Van steel.

Some other features of this bad ass knife are a thumb ramp, Zytel handles, and an extended pommel. The BK10 Crewman comes with a heavy-duty polyester sheath with a front pocket. Now, while these specs might be oh, so fascinating, what we all really want to know is what this heavy duty survival knife can do in the field. So, let’s get to it.

This wicked-looking knife that you’re seeing right now is the Ka-Bar BK10 Crewman. It was initially designed to replace the earlier version of the Air Force survival knife. It’s a full tang knife that measures a total of 10 7/8 inches. The 5 ½” straight edge blade has a flat ground and is made of 1095 Cro-Van steel.

Some other features of this bad ass knife are a thumb ramp, Zytel handles, and an extended pommel. The BK10 Crewman comes with a heavy-duty polyester sheath with a front pocket. Now, while these specs might be oh, so fascinating, what we all really want to know is what this heavy duty survival knife can do in the field. So, let’s get to it.

THE FIELD TESTS

One awesome thing about the BK10 Crewman that gideonstactical demonstrates in the video is that you are able to use it even if you only have one available hand. If you've injured one hand/arm/wrist, you can still use the knife to create tinder or whittle a spear. The reinforced tip of the blade is nice and thin so you can easily pound the knife into a log and get the leverage you need for cutting.

Another cool feature of this knife is its ability to cut through 1 ton rated cord with ease. As gideonstactical shows in the video, it only takes a little bit of pressure to cut through a paracord that’s rated as high as the BK10. This means that the knife can easily cut through parachute cord, a seat belt, webbing, or anything similar that you may have gotten tangled in.

One feature that might be a negative for the knife is the thumb ramp. It's a bit uncomfortable to use while doing detailed work and could result in a hand cramp after prolonged usage. Gideonstactical's suggestion is to place your thumb over the thumb ramp instead.

This new position for your thumb is easy to do and very comfortable, giving you the traction and control you need while handling your knife. Of course, this is only good if you have a thumb that’s long enough. Though the thumb ramp isn’t as high as in other Becker knives like the BK7 or BK9, it might still be a stretch for some making it just as uncomfortable as using the thumb ramp.

Through the rest of the video, gideonstactical does other field tests such as stabbing/penetrating wood and batoning. The clip point design and the reinforced tip make it perfect for stabbing or penetrating wood. Of course, it would also work perfectly as a tactical knife.

As for batoning, the knife works great except for the fact that the clip point is very thin and could snap your batoning stick in half if it’s not thick enough. Chopping wood and carving are also very feasible with the BK10. As gideonstactical points out, this knife was designed to do every task well and stand up to hard use. It’s what he calls “a jack of all trades, a master of none.”

OTHER FEATURES

With the BK10, you get a solidly constructed sheath that has heavy duty snaps and multiple holes that provide you with various attachment options. There's a nicely sized pocket at the front where can store your fire steel or other survival stuff you might want to bring with you.

The Zytel handle of the BK10 is much like the BK2. The only difference is that the handle is thinner (due to having a thinner blade) and a bit shorter. And as we’ve pointed out with the BK2, the handle is very ergonomic and feels very comfortable. Rather than making the hand feel squished, the shorter length of the handle, with its flared grip, provides a comfortable place for the hand to rest. The finger groove near the guard also helps make a very secure grip.

WHY WE LIKE THE BK-10 CREWMAN

The BK10 is a perfect compromise of size and thickness. Unlike the BK2 or the BK9, it’s much lighter so it’s less of a strain to carry around for long periods of time. It’s not as long as the BK9 but not as short as the BK2. The blade is sharp and tough even under heavy use, and the knife as a whole is more than capable for most campsite tasks (including batoning!). What more could you ask for?

This beast of a knife you’re looking at right now is the Ka-bar BK2 fixed blade knife. If you’re looking at this review and video, you’ve probably already wondered why this particular knife is so popular. We’ll list down the pros and cons of this bad boy later on. For now, let’s go through the specs.

This beast of a knife you’re looking at right now is the Ka-bar BK2 fixed blade knife. If you’re looking at this review and video, you’ve probably already wondered why this particular knife is so popular. We’ll list down the pros and cons of this bad boy later on. For now, let’s go through the specs.

First, the entire Ka-bar BK2 is 10.5 inches long with the blade taking almost half that length (5.5 inches). Its blade is made of 1095 cro-van steel.

The Sheath

The knife comes with a Kydex sheath which, you must admit, looks pretty awesome. And, the number of holes along the sheath gives you a lot of customization options and places to wrap rope, paracord, molle straps, etc. Overall, the sheath is really nice in terms ofappearance and functionality.

There are two downsides though. As cutlerylover points out, the button snap that holds the knife’s handle to the nylon strap can, over time, fail and no longer close.

Another downside is that putting the knife back in its sheath isn’t as stealthy as you might like it to be. Usually, it wouldn’t be an issue if you’re out camping or what-not, especially since you know the “snap” means your knife is very secure in its sheath. But if you’re a hunter, the loud snap of putting your knife away just may scare away your prey.

The Weight

Much like the love-hate relationship cutlerylover has with the sheath, the weight of the knife has its own pros and cons. The BK2 is a very heavy knife (weighing exactly 1 pound) especially for its length. This serious hunk of metal is 1/4" thick, which of course contributes to its extreme heaviness.

Now, the good thing about its weight is that it makes it a phenomenal tool for wood processing. The knife has what cutlerylover calls the hatchet effect - a thick stock () with a flat grind so there's a wide angle that allows it to wedge into the material while you cut it. The downfall of this particular blade, in terms of woodcutting, is its length. It is 5.5 inches long so you can't really baton large pieces of wood. But for wood that is 3-4 inches in diameter (or less), you got the weight and the blade that’s just about perfect.

As for the con side of the weight, it’s like carrying a brick. As cutlerylover points out, it might not matter that much if you’re carrying it just for an hour. But for a long period of time, carrying a knife this heavy on one side of your body can cause you back pain.

Other Features

The BK2 is shaving sharp right out of the box. The tip is incredibly strong. The thick handle is extremely ergonomic though it’s not made of very “grippy” material as some people like their handles to be. It feels very comfortable in your hand and its shape (with the guard and the butt end flaring out) enables you to hold onto the knife pretty well, wet or dry.

Holding the knife in reverse grip also feels great. The BK2 has an extended tang that sticks out of the bottom of the handle (around 1/3 to 1/2 of an inch) which allows you to use it as a chisel or something similar.

Several features of the knife are a miss for cutlerylover. One is the textured coating on the blade that looks great and feels great. But you’ll soon discover that the light sandpaperlike feel just creates unnecessary friction while you're cutting something. Definitely not the slide and glide you want to have with your knife so it’s not the perfect tool for fine slicing or anything similar.

The blade length is also an issue because it sets limitations on what the knife can do. With this style of a knife, a longer blade would be better like the BK7 or BK9.

Why we like Ka-bar BK2 Becker Campanion

It’s a solid everyday survival knife that’s very versatile; can be used in a lot of outdoor tasks – batoning, slicing, chiselling, whittling, etc. Though it could use a bit more length and lose a little bit of weight, it’s not a silly Rambo knife or a short sword. It’s inexpensive and extremely well made (great quality, durable, American made).

So the sheath that came with your knife is less than desirable, or perhaps your knife didn't even come with a sheath when you bought it. Whoa now. That just might be a bit of a problem. We all know how important your sheath is when it comes to protecting and taking care of your survival knife, so what should you do when you don't have one?

One option is to buy yourself a sheath. There are quite a few of manufacturers who offer pretty decent sheaths that will probably suit your needs. Another option to consider is a custom sheath for your blade. Of course you can easily find a dozen or so custom sheath manufacturers, but what about making your own sheath? It's definitely the most affordable option you have of owning a sheath fit for your knife.

You'll need to buy the materials and some tools, of course, not to mention putting in a bit of elbow grease, but the cost of the materials won't be as much as a decent sheath you’d buy somewhere else. An added bonus to making your own sheath is that it will actually fit your knife perfectly. Sheaths are rarely custom made (unless you ask for them to be), so fit and stability are not always a guarantee. Aside from cost and fit, you can’t deny that there’s something unbelievably satisfying about making things with your own two hands.

All that being said, today we’re going to focus on how to make your own kydex sheath. There are plenty of tutorials and instructions to be found online. But some can be confusing and long-winded. To help you out, we’ll break it down to easy-to-follow steps so that even a rookie can figure this out.

What You’ll Need:

Kydex sheething (choose the size and thickness you need)

Rivets (choose the right size for the Kydex you will be using)

Rivet punch

Drill

Saw (hobby saw, hack saw, or band saw)

Foam press

Toaster oven

Cotton sheet

WD40

Acetone

A lot of the materials you’ll need can be bought from a hardware store. If you’re having difficulty finding some, you can visit Knifekits.com.

How to Make Your Kydex Sheath:

Step 1:

Once you've got all the materials and tools, the first thing you'll need to do is determine the size of the sheath you'll be making. While it doesn't really have to be exact, it's better to err on the side of caution and make it bigger than it should be. This way, you can easily trim it down to size. Make sure that the Kydex sheething is wide enough to encase the blade and long enough to cover both the blade and around an inch up the handle.

Then, mark your measurements with a pencil. Score the kydex a couple of times using your knife or a razor. This will make it easier for you to fold the kydex and break it.

Important note:You can use only one piece of Kydex to wrap around your blade. This is the easiest and most popular way to go about making your sheath, and it enables you to create a sheath that has a narrower, lower profile. Of course, you can also choose to use two pieces of Kydex for each side of the sheath if that is what you prefer.

Step 2:

Once you’re done breaking of the piece/s you’ll be using, you need to heat the Kydex in your--wait for it--toaster oven (!) for about 5 minutes at 325 degrees to make it pliable. The kydex is ready when its consistency is like leather.

Step 3:

Take out your heated kydex using gloves and lay the piece/s on the table. If you have only one piece, place your sheath-needing-knife on top of the kydex and fold the kydex over the knife. You can do this side to side or end to end. If you have two pieces, place the knife first on top of one piece and then cover the knife using the other.

It's important to do all of this within 15 seconds because kydex hardens quickly as it cools. If you made a mistake in positioning the knife, don't worry. You can easily reheat the kydex again and start the process over.

Step 4:

Place the cotton sheet inside the foam press first; then, put the kydex sheath along with the knife inside and close the press. Keep the cotton sheet between the foam and the kydex sheath + knife. This allows your kydex to settle on its own without it sticking to the foam and keeps the kydex from shifting when you close the press. Give your sheath enough time to cool (around 10 minutes) before pulling it out. Make sure that the kydex has definitely firmed up before you proceed to the next step.

Step 5:

Get a pencil and use it to mark out your outline (final sheath shape) as well as where you'll be drilling your holes for the rivets.

Step 6:

Using your saw, cut out your final sheath design.

Step 7:

Before you start to drill holes, make sure that the blade will be secure enough within the sheath but can still be easily pulled out and pushed back in. The rivets will tighten the space within the sheath so you need to ensure that there will be enough space for your blade even with the rivets in place. Once that’s done, drill holes that match your rivet size.

Step 8:

Before you punch your rivets in, take note of which way you want to carry the sheath – left-handed or right-handed. This will dictate which way you put your rivets in. After determining this, go ahead and punch your rivets. If you have a belt attachment, this is the time to put it in place as well.

Step 9:

One of the finishing steps is to sand the edges of your sheath to smooth them out. Make sure to put some masking tape inside the sheath to prevent any grit from getting inside and scratching your blade. Afterwards, you can use an air compressor or whatever you might have at hand to blow out any grit that may have gotten into your brand new sheath.

Step 10:

Use some acetone on a rag to clean up any sanding marks around the edges.

Step 11:

The final step in perfecting your new kydex sheath is to do a general cleanup, removing any pencil marks and the like. You can use some WD40 or any other oil to wipe down the entire sheath.

...and there you have it! Your very own custom made Kydex sheath.

If you happen to be a visual learner and would like a visual to go with these instructions, you can watch the video below:

When it comes to carrying your knife, you’re not going to find yourself with a shortage of options. I’m sure you’ve seen those movies where someone is going through a security check or being put into jail and they’re told to get rid of everything. Next thing you know, they’re pulling knives and guns out of everywhere--shoes, belts, ties, gloves, pant pockets--the list goes on.

Of course, there are the more standard options for creative knife carry--like the ones that allow you to carry your knife around your neck or tied to your backpack, or there are the customized sheaths that allow you to carry your knife around your torso. Today though, we’re going to leave those more popular options alone in the dusty closet of familiarity and opt for some more exciting carry options that are most likely unfamiliar to you. These carry options are quite innovative (to say the least) and just might develop within you a delightful spirit of paranoia towards the people you interact with on a daily basis.

4 Innovative Knife Carry Options:

Around your neck (paracord or ball chain)

Neck knives are slowly becoming more popular every day. Usually, these types of knives are lightweight with a blade that’s no longer than 3 inches. The sheath is attached to a paracord or ball chain that allows you to simply slip it on or off your neck. Now, just like any other knife carry option, there are pros and cons to wearing your knife around your neck.

For example, do you really think it’s wise to carry an extremely sharp object around your neck (hello jugular vein!) and right over your heart and lungs? On the other hand, neck carry does provide a fantastic way to conceal your knife while you’re out in public.

If you’re thinking of carrying your knife around your neck, be sure to weigh the advantages with the disadvantages before you spend your money. While it certainly is an innovative way to carry a knife, it doesn’t mean that it’s an option that suits you.

Now this option is definitely limited to the ladies (unless you men enjoy the thought of wearing a man bra--not even gonna go there). Just like neck carry, this particular option allows a woman to arm herself in public without people knowing, and while the risk is the same (carrying a lethal weapon right on top of an extremely vulnerable area of your body), in certain ways, this is better than a neck sheath. Why? Because, unlike neck sheaths, this ensures that the knife doesn’t move around while you move, even when you’re running. Having it stay in the same position will also ensure that no one will be aware of your concealed weapon even when you lean forward.

There’s no question that your knife would have to be very small in order to fit into a badge sheath. A badge sheath you ask? Just like what the name implies, the sheath is very much like a badge--you know, those fancy ID badges that nurses and doctors and teachers wear--except this particular badge is a sheath for your knife, your really small knife. Actually, badge sheaths are usually already paired with a knife so you most likely can’t use any little knife that you have for this type of sheath. The great thing about carrying your knife around this way, though, is that you can easily carry the knife with you wherever you go and whip it out of its sheath in 1.5 seconds flat.

Clipped to your shorts or pants (without a belt)

Belt sheaths are very popular and it’s easy to see why – quick deployment without much fuss. But what if you didn’t have a belt to attach your sheath to? Should you start carrying your knife in your pocket? What if you have too much stuff in your pocket? You’d definitely have a hard time drawing your knife out when you need it, if that’s the case.

Urgent situations don’t pause in the space-time continuum and wait for you to empty out your pockets to find your knife so that you can fix whatever situation needs fixing. Fortunately, you have alternative carry options if your belt is unavailable. The first is carrying your knife attached to a belt loop in your pants or shorts. The second is to clip it to the strong side pocket of your pants. This way, you don’t waste time searching your pockets for your knife while still ensuring that it’s concealed. In addition, it can be quickly drawn and deployed should the need arise.

Of course, these aren’t the only innovative ways you can carry a knife. Some companies have come up with unique ways to conceal a knife such as inside a fake credit card, a pen, and even a lipstick. It has to be said, though, that these knives aren’t really outdoor or wilderness material; they’re more of a self-defense tool in an urban setting. Do YOU know of any other alternative carry options for knives? Be sure to let us know!

There’s something very satisfying in the *click* that comes as you load your gun, the explosion as you pull the trigger, and the *thud* of whatever it is that you hit as it falls to the ground. That’s a gun though. A knife is meant for stealth--a quiet slip out of the sheath into your capable hands to whittle, skin, slice, or stab.

Your knife is your companion, and as your companion, it deserves to be protected and carried in a worthy vessel. Sure, a survival knife’s sheath isn’t quite as important as the knife it’s carrying, but it still plays a crucial role in every aspect of your knife’s well-being. Not only does it help you carry your survival knife around without accidentally hurting yourself or anyone else, it also provides your survival knife protection against exposure to the elements. A good knife sheath keeps your blade from getting scratched while you lug it around in the great and cruel outdoors, allows you instant access to your knife, and prevents you from losing it.

So a sheath is definitely important, and if it’s important, then you ought to put a good bit of thought into the type of sheath you want to use to carry and protect your precious blade. The various types of sheaths on the market today are usually designed based on how you want to carry your fixed blade survival knife. Do you prefer to have it strapped to your belt or leg, hung around your neck, or tied to your bag? While the designs do vary depending on the manufacturer, the materials used are mostly the same. Each material has its pros and cons, so we’ll take a little time today to talk about that to help give you a better idea of what kind of sheath material you’ll want for your blade (no matter how you decide to carry it).

Leather Sheath

Leather is one of the traditional materials used to make a knife sheath. It's very rugged, tough, and strong. It won't break like plastic does and can easily be re-sewn should the stitches come loose. A leather knife sheath feels and looks good and may remind you of or even make you feel a part of the “good ole days” when mountain men and cowboys ruled the land. As an added bonus, the attractiveness of a leather sheath only gets better as it ages (if properly cared for, of course). Aesthetics aside, a leather sheath is quite versatile and will provide a custom fit to your knife once it's broken in. The best thing about leather knife sheaths is that they're silent; you can easily pull the knife out or put it back in without making a sound.

While there are many advantages to a knife sheath made of leather, there are also some disadvantages. It's not waterproof (though it can be treated to make it water repellant) so getting it wet a lot or exposing it to extreme heat can dry out the oils in the leather which could lead the sheath to crack. Fortunately, oiling it from time to time can help make it last a long time.

Nylon Sheath

Nylon is another material that is commonly used in knife sheaths. Just like their leather counterpart, nylon sheaths are also tough and strong. Unlike leather though, nylon sheaths are resistant to rot and mildew. They're also not as vulnerable to water as leather sheaths. Another great aspect is that nylon sheaths aren't easily scuffed or torn. The best thing about nylon sheaths (IMHO) is that most of them are MOLLE compatible.

As for its disadvantages, nylon sheaths don't last as long as leather ones, and where leather sheaths fit your knife better over time, nylon sheaths get stretched out over time which means that your knife won't always fit snugly inside its sheath.

Plastic

Plastic sheaths (not Kydex) are probably the cheapest ones you'll ever find on the market. You get what you pay for though, so you shouldn’t be surprised that plastic sheaths are quite probably also the ones that are the cheapest quality. A plastic sheath is most definitely an inhospitable home for you trusty blade to be carried for an extended amount of time. If you do get a plastic sheath with your fixed blade survival knife, make sure you replace it as soon as possible.

Kydex

Kydex is a thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride (what a mouthful!) material that is used in creating holsters and sheaths. There are several advantages to having a sheath made from this modern material. It's waterproof, scratch resistant (it has a Rockwell hardness rating of 90), and will not stretch or shrink over time (under normal conditions). It remains unaffected when exposed to most chemicals like skin acids. In fact, Kydex sheaths are extremely durable and will hold up fairly well when exposed to different environments. They are also great for the forgetful or negligent person as they really don’t require much attention or care when compared to leather sheaths.

As for disadvantages, one of the biggest complaints about a Kydex sheath is that it's noisy and cannot be used in stealth mode. There’s no such thing as silently withdrawing your knife from a Kydex sheath, and if you accidentally brush against something you can count on your Kydex sheath to make a bit of noise. That being said, there is something particularly smile-worthy about “snapping” your blade into its sheath, but I digress. Because it is stretch proof, a Kydex sheath can sometimes be too loose or too tight for your survival knife (rattle time!). With a Kydex sheath, you do risk dulling your blade’s edge as you repeatedly withdraw and replace your knife into the sheath unless there's an insert within the sheath.

I’m sure price, appearance, and practicality all factor into your survival knife sheath decision, but it’s always important to remember that your survival knife is only good to you if you can ensure that it remains protected and secured. And let’s face it, your knife is more important in a survival situation than the sheath. So, while you're debating on which material works best for you, also put a great deal of consideration on how the sheath will “get along with” your survival knife and how it will help you carry and secure your knife while you explore the great outdoors.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/14514369-four-mistakes-you-don-t-have-to-make-on-your-next-excursion2014-06-17T12:53:00-04:002014-06-17T12:53:50-04:00Four Mistakes You Don’t Have to Make on Your Next ExcursionLeighton Taylor

“They” say experience is the best teacher. What “they” neglect to add is that you can also learn from other people’s mistakes experiences without experiencing the thing itself. This goes for any area of life, backpacking and hiking included. No matter how many books you read on backpacking to help you prepare for your first ever hiking trip, you're still bound to make a mistake or two while backpacking. There are a few mistakes that seem to repeat themselves all throughout the annals of backpacking beginners though, so instead of repeating these mistakes, take a few minutes to learn from the typical beginner’s experience.

The Disastrous Dresser

We all know that it’s important to dress for success when it comes to the professional world. Well, the same goes for the great outdoors. You'll need to be dressed appropriately if you want a successful backpacking trip. Improper clothes can guarantee an uncomfortable hike. It can sometimes even lead to serious injury. So if you want to avoid having a this-is-the-last-time-you'll-ever-catch-me-doing-this hike, you'll need to think hard about what you'll be wearing.

A lot of beginner hikers think that rubber shoes or sneakers are great for hiking. And they would be during the first hour of the trek. It won’t take much time, though, until this sneaker-wearing beginner is singing a different tune. While sneakers or rubber shoes are certainly comfortable, they aren't built for trekking in the wild. Hiking shoes, on the other hand, can ensure that your feet are comfortable whether you're walking on a flat trail or an uneven one filled with rocks and roots. The height of the boots also ensures that you won't injure your ankle if you slip, stumble, or fall.

As for your actual clothes, many beginner backpackers are unaware how unsuitable clothes made of cotton are for the great outdoors. Cotton retains moisture which means it will take a lot of time to dry out if it gets wet (even if it's just from your sweat). Clothes made from wool, silk, or synthetics are a better option.

The Unprepared

One of the worst mistakes that beginner backpackers make is not getting mentally and physically prepared for a hike. A lot of people think that hiking is just plain walking in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, there's a lot more to it than that. No matter what kind of trail, any hiker, experienced or otherwise, needs to get into shape and build endurance.

Mental preparation for beginner hikers means knowing what your limits are. Many novices are too stubborn to listen to their bodies, feeling the need to prove themselves capable. Unfortunately, this stubbornness and lack of mental preparation can lead to strained/pulled muscles or, worse, injuries due to exhaustion. Knowing when to stop is something that any hiker, experienced or otherwise, should be able to do.

Failure to prepare also means not having the proper supplies or having too much. Some beginner backpackers think that dialing down on the things you'll be bringing with you is a good thing because you won't be carrying much weight with you while hiking. If you lack experience, this could land you in a pit of misery without food, water, appropriate clothing, or whatever else you decided not to bring with you. Some novices make the mistake of bringing too much, carrying a lot of stuff that they won't even get to use. The best way to avoid this mistake is to have a backpacking checklist to make sure that you're neither over-prepared or underprepared.

The Weather Ignoramus

A little rain never hurt anyone, right? Well, that's what most novices think anyway when they hear a forecast of rain on the day of their hike.The weather is actually an incredibly important factor on what equipment (i.e. tent, sleeping bag, backpack) and clothes you'll need for your hike. More importantly, serious weather can mean dangerous trail conditions that novices won't be able to handle.In order to avoid this costly mistake, make sure that you check the National Weather Service’s website or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website to find out what the weather will be like at the location you’ll be hiking in.

The Novice with a Need for Speed

Novice backpackers are almost always so eager to get to the end of the trail that they tend to rush during the easier or earlier portions of the hike. Unfortunately, this wears them out quickly; they lose all the energy they need in order to get through the rough patches of the trail. To avoid this mistake, keep a delightful mental image of a turtle in your mind and chant from time to time: slow and steady wins the race. With a steady pace, you're able to conserve your energy for the steep climbs or rough "roads" as well as enjoy the beauty of nature surrounding you (wouldn’t want to miss that!). You'll also lower your chances of slipping, sliding, stumbling, or falling, things that could occur when you race through your hike.

Of course, there are plenty of other mistakes that you can make as a beginner backpacker. You could wear your boots fresh out of the box, not taking the time to break them in. You could have brought a first aid kit that rivals those used by Marines. You could bring equipment that you don’t know how to use. Sure, knowing about the most common mistakes can help you avoid them. But let’s be real, you can’t prepare for every little thing. Hiking is an activity that requires learning, where you’re constantly challenged and faced with the unknown. The best thing you can do is to have a sense of adventure and to learn from every hiking trip you make.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/14471513-caring-for-the-star-of-your-survival-gear2014-06-11T16:40:00-04:002014-06-17T12:06:29-04:00Caring for the Star of Your Survival GearLeighton Taylor

The star of the show when you’re in a survival situation is not your shoes or your axe or your paracord. The star of the show (in my humble opinion) is your survival knife. Think about it. From batoning wood to skinning game to spearing or chopping or as protection, a survival knife is wonderfully multifunctional, and really, essential to a lot of outdoor tasks. Fortunately, survival knives can usually take on loads of well-meaning abuse without breaking, but this does not mean that you shouldn’t take care of them. In the same way that you will always take care of your parents because they took care of you growing up, you really ought to take care of your knife so it can continue to take care of you! (Alright, so your parents might be worth a little more than your knife, but you know what I mean.) So, how should you take care of your ever-faithful survival knife? Here are a few tips.

Tips for Survival Knife Care:

Always keep it clean.

Your knife won’t live forever, but making sure that you keep it clean will definitely lengthen its lifespan. Keeping it clean will also keep any harmful bacteria that you may have picked up in the wild from being preserved on your blade. No, this doesn’t mean that you have to intensely clean your knife after each and every task you do. Just make it a habit to wipe your survival knife down before you put it back in your sheath. When you are cleaning your survival knife, make sure to use just a little bit of soap and running water to clean both the blade and the handle.

Check again for moisture, then put it back in its sheath. (Any moisture left on the sheath could lead to rust.)

If your survival knife is made of stainless steel, avoid putting your fingers on the blade because the acid from your fingertips could lead to corrosion. One thing you should never do when cleaning your knife is to use anything abrasive to get the dirt off. This can irreparably damage your knife consequently leaving you with no tool when you just might need it the most.

Keep it lightly oiled.

Oil your survival knife's blade regularly to prevent friction. A small amount of oil can also protect the blade from rust. Lubricating oils such as household oil or oil that can be bought in local hardware stores and firearm supply stores are your best option. Some good brands include Dri-Lube and 3-in-one. You can also opt to use some WD-40 but stay away from motor oil. When oiling your knife, remember to only use a small amount. Also, don't use the oil on the handle if it's made of rubber. This will make it too slippery for your hands which could mean accidentally cutting off your fingers.

Keep it sharp.

While it’s true that a dull knife is better than no knife, even the best survival knife is not really of much use to you if it isn’t sharp--not to mention the fact that a dull knife can actually be a danger to you or to anyone else who uses it. With a dull knife, you're going to have to exert more pressure on it to get it to perform to the same standard as a sharp one. All that extra pressure makes the knife more difficult to control and can cause your fingers injury or even slip through your hands and hurt someone nearby.

Since keeping your knife sharp is extremely important, you should learn how to sharpen it yourself. This is an invaluable skill that you may find yourself in need of should you suddenly be in a survival situation with no expert knife sharpener in sight. If you're a bit leery of doing it yourself while you're learning, you can find professionals that will be happy to do it for you for a fee. Whichever option you do go for, just make sure you do get your knife regularly sharpened.

Store it in a dry place.

When your knife isn’t hanging out in your pocket or you boot, it’s best to keep it in a humidity-free environment to keep moisture from getting to it. This means that as much as you might love your sexy leather sheath, you shouldn't leave your knife inside of it if you're going to be storing it for a long time. Leather can attract moisture and the chemicals in the leather can also damage the blade. To keep your survival knife safe while in storage, you'll need to wrap it with paper, place it inside a plastic bag with desiccant, and then put it in a cool, dry place. Some outdoorsmen recommend oiling it lightly before wrapping it to add an additional layer of protection against rust.

Whether you spent a fortune on what you deemed the best survival knife out there or got your knife real cheap, it doesn’t matter. A good knife will take care of you as long as you take care of it. With just a little bit of effort, you can keep your survival knife at your side for a very long time.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/14399785-knife-aholism-and-the-search-for-the-perfect-edge-choosing-the-blade-edge-that-is-right-for-you2014-06-05T13:30:00-04:002017-07-31T15:26:59-04:00Knife-aholism and the Search for the Perfect Edge: Choosing the Blade Edge that is Right for YouLeighton Taylor

One of the oldest conundrums in the annals of knife purchasing lies in the matter of the blade edge. Straight edge or serrated edge? If you’ve trolled through various forums, you’ll see that the unfortunate answer to which blade trumps is almost always “it depends” which seems like a very non-committal answer (and nobody likes those). So, how are you going to decide which blade edge is the one for you to get?

Rather than telling you that one blade edge trumps another, I’m going to break it down into the three basic blade types giving you a rundown on the pros and cons for each one. From there the choice will be up to you and the functions you deem most important in a survival knife, and this way, you can be sure that you’re getting the very best survival knife for you.

3 Basic Blade Edge Types:

Plain/Straight Edge

We’ll start off our discussion with the straight edge blade. Though the popularity of other blade edges, particularly the partially serrated one, is increasing, the straight edge is still usually the default choice of many knife manufacturers. Just like its name, this blade edge is plain, without any teeth or grooves. It's easily the sharpest type and can be pretty versatile. One example of this type of blade edge is Cold Steel’s Leatherneck 39LSF. Although the plain edge provides a lot of versatility in a knife, there are some things that a straight edge blade cannot do.

Pros:

A plain edge blade is extremely sharp which ensures better precision and control, especially if clean cuts are necessary.

It can also be easily sharpened, especially compared to a serrated edge.

Straight edge survival knives are highly versatile because you can "customize" the edge by how you sharpen it.

The knife has to be extremely sharp to be able to cut through tough materials such as thick ropes and straps.

Sharpening it with a coarse stone in order to create "micro serrations" for easier slicing of thick/tough materials can damage the blade if it's not done properly.

Creating "micro serrations" on a straight edge survival knife can reduce the blade's effectiveness for push cuts, where cutting is performed by pushing the knife through the material.

Get this knife if you are planning to:

Shave

Skin animals

Chop wood

Prepare food

Any application that does a lot of push cutting

Serrated Edge

Contrary to popular belief, the serrated edge wasn't created as a rival to the straight edge. It actually serves as a complement to the other, able to easily perform tasks that a straight edge blade won't be able to do effectively. How do these two differ? Unlike a straight edge survival knife, a serrated one has little teeth that are extremely sharp allowing the blade to cut easily through tough material. One example of this type of blade edge is Cold Steel’s Super Edge 42SS.

Pros:

Extremely effective for cutting through thick or tough, fibrous materials such as ropes and straps even if the teeth are dull.

Requires less sharpening since it retains its edge far longer than a plain edge survival knife

Doesn’t require as much direct pressure to the object being cut

Can inflict greater damage in combat due to its saw-like edge.

Cons:

Not as precise/accurate as a straight edge blade when performing general tasks. It's also harder to control.

It's not easy to sharpen.

It's not an effective bushcraft knife.

In combat, the blade's teeth can get caught in the enemy's clothing or fur which can greatly decrease its effectiveness as a self-defense tool.

Get this knife if you are planning to:

Slice bread, rope, straps (i.e. seatbelts), thick wood and cardboard.

Partially Serrated Edge

*Commence angelic singing* This blade edge type is often called the best of both worlds because it combines the plain edge and the serrated edge onto one knife. Either the edge near the tip is plain and the lower part have teeth or the entire edge is plain while the back of the knife has a serrated edge. One of the best examples of this type of blade edge is Gerber's LMF II.

Pros:

A partially serrated edge is extremely functional for both push cutting (the straight edge) and slicing through tough materials (the serrated edge).

It's convenient because you have two types of blade edges in one survival knife.

Cons:

The partial serration doesn't work well if used on short blades (those that are 3 inches or shorter) because you'll need a certain length of the blade edge in order for both a plain edge and serrated edge to be effective.

Serrations (even partials) are always more difficult to sharpen.

The design is not always ideal--sometimes the placement of the serration on the edge is “wrong” for certain tasks. For example, if you’re whittling, you’ll need the straight edge to be near the lower part of the blade for better control or if you are batoning and the serration is on the edge opposite the blade, you’ll end up quickly dulling your serrations.

Get this knife if you are planning to:

Own only one knife that can function fairly well for most survival/woodsman activities.

So there you have it--plain edge, serrated edge, and partially serrated edge. Choosing the best survival knife for you really boils down to what you’re planning to use it for and how many you want to carry with you. Of course, then, there’s the matter of knife-aholism (the urge to always buy the newest, prettiest, baddest knife), and I can’t really help you there.

You're out in the wild, breathing in the fresh air, and enjoying being one with nature. You've got your camp set up and you're looking forward to a relaxing time. Things are looking pretty good. Suddenly, you spy something that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. It's a wild animal, and it isn't one of those cute, cuddly ones either. Wild animals are unpredictable. They can choose to ignore you and blithely go their own way. Or they could do the charming thing and attack you.

What do you do if an animal does attack you? Do you run? Stand your ground? Stab it with your survival knife? Play dead? It all depends on the type of wild animal you have confronting you. So, read on and learn all about what you can do to avoid becoming the next thing on a wild animal’s menu.

Bear Attacks

Bears might look cute and cuddly on TV, but all of them, no matter what species, can be deadly. Like any wild animal, bears attack when they feel threatened, or if they are protecting their young. They also attack if you appear to be competing with them for food. And then, of course, there are the bears that attack you because you are food. So, what do you do if you ever encounter a bear? Below are some tips that should help.

Never run. Regardless of the species of bear you’re facing, running will only trigger the attack.

Don’t make eye contact so you don’t appear aggressive.

Back away slowly but never turn your back on the bear.

If it’s a black bear or a polar, then make loud noises. It might drive the bear away.

If it’s a black bear and it appears to only be doing a classic bluff attack (trying to scare you away), then make yourself appear larger by waving your arms over your head.

Make sure that the bear has an escape route so it won’t feel cornered and attack.

Try to move upwind of the bear. This allows it to scent you as human, alerting it to the fact that you are not its normal prey.

Now, if the bear is going straight at you with its head down and watching you closely, you might have to fight for your life. Your first line of defense is your bear pepper spray. If it still hasn’t stopped and is now up close and personal, try to hit the bear's vulnerable points - its eyes and nose - as hard as you can, using whatever weapons you have at hand be it your survival knife, a pot, or a jagged rock.

Mountain Lions

You've probably seen how a mountain lion catches its prey in the wild. It will stalk the prey until it finds the right moment to strike. So, if a mountain lion thinks you're a viable food source, then you can be sure that when it attacks, you're seriously in trouble. If you are unfortunate enough to tangle with one, fight back aggressively; use anything you can get your hands on as a weapon - your survival knife, a rock, a stick, your pack, etc. Try to hit its eyes and stay on your feet. Convince it that you are not easy prey.

If you ever encounter a mountain lion in the wild, don't run, turn your back, try to hide, or crouch down. All of these actions will trigger the animal's instinct to attack. Stand tall and try to look bigger than you are. If the mountain lion shows aggressive behavior, make loud noises (i.e. shout), wave your arms, and throw rocks.

Moose

Moose can be just as dangerous as bears, especially during fall and winter. These large, stubborn animals often attack when they feel threatened or if they think you're trespassing on their property. While they don't have claws and fangs that can maim you, their antlers and hooves can do a lot of damage.

Now, most moose attacks are just bluffs - warning you to go away, so make sure to back away and put as much distance as you can between yourself and the moose. The good thing about moose is that they are not natural predators. Running away from them won't stimulate an attack response. In addition, if a moose tries to chase you, it won't do it for long, just enough to ensure that you're staying away.

If for any reason you can't run, try to get behind a large obstacle such as a tree or boulder and make sure that it stays between you and the moose. Even better, try climbing a tree. If the unfortunate happens and the moose gets to knock you down, make sure to protect yourself from its hooves as it kicks and stomps on you. Cover your head with your hands and curl up into a ball. Don't move from your position until the moose goes away. Otherwise, that moose just might think you need another beating to get its message.

Of course, there are a lot of other wild animals that can attack you while you’re enjoying the great outdoors. To fully prepare yourself for any possibility, make sure that you learn all about the wildlife in the area where you’ll be staying at and then be sure to bring supplies (such as your survival knife, some bear pepper spray, bells, or maybe even a gun) that can help you fend off attacks. After all, you don’t want to end up being somebody else’s lunch.

As knife lovers, we all have our beliefs, superstitions, and idiosyncrasies regarding knives. Some knife owners would never allow another person (with the exception of their SO) to touch their knives. Some don’t buy certain knives because of an “unlucky” serial number--like one having 666. I’ve even heard of one man who has a tendency to buy knives that have serial numbers that contain significant dates such as 1776, 911, or 1415. Like any group of fanatics, we knife lovers are not immune to superstitions, so, to embrace knife fanaticism, today I bring you 26 superstitions all about our most beloved subject: knives.

26 Knife Superstitions That May Surprise You:

#1: Placing a knife under the bed of a woman giving birth is believed to ease her pain during labor.

#2: Sticking a knife into a cradle's headboard is believed to protect the baby. Thrusting it into the door of a house is also believed to provide protection.

#3: In Greece, putting a knife with a black handle under your pillow is believed to keep away nightmares.

#4: Hundreds of years ago, people believed that placing a knife across another piece of cutlery was a sign of witchcraft.

#5: One prevalent belief still held by people today is that gifting a knife to someone will cause the relationship between the giver and the recipient to be severed. To prevent this from happening, the recipient should give a "payment" to ensure that the relationship will not be cut. A small coin is the most popular "payment" given. Some givers often tape a penny to the blade so that the receiver will simply just return it as "payment."

This superstition actually dates back to the Vikings who believe that gifting a knife to someone implies that the receiver isn’t able to buy himself a good enough knife to kill the giver so he has to be given the knife for free. Thus, to avoid the intended insult, Vikings would “sell” a knife to a friend extremely cheap – the cost of one copper coin.

#6: Never stir anything using your knife (like soup or coffee) because that would bring bad luck. There’s even a lovely rhyme to help you remember: stir with a knife and stir up strife. One variant of this superstition includes the fact that the bad luck will mean pain or stitches.

#7: Two knives crossed on a table will cause a quarrel. It is believed that uncrossing or straightening them immediately will prevent bad luck or a quarrel from happening.

#8: Some knife owners believe that you never truly own a knife unless it has "bitten" you (tasted your blood). Once a knife has taken its owner's blood, the owner will never sell or trade that knife with anyone. A similar superstition states that a knife that has “bitten” its owner will stay sharp longer and is less likely to accidentally cut its owner.

#9: Some knife owners also believe that you should never close a knife (either folding it in or putting it back in its sheath) if someone else has opened it because it is bad luck. Some have even given knives away just because this happened.

#10: Bad things will happen if a knife falls and sticks into the floor.

#11: In Iceland, it is believed that when a knife is dropped by someone while cleaning fish and the knife lands pointing in the direction of the sea, the fisherman will get a good haul the next time he goes fishing. If the knife falls and points towards land, the fisherman will not catch anything the next time he goes fishing.

#12: Getting a knife as a gift from your lover means that your love will soon end.

#13: Another superstition suggests that when a knife falls to the ground, a man will soon visit.

#14: A knife made of steel is believed to protect you against curses and fairies.

#15: In Finland, a knife given as a gift is a sign of respect. This is especially true for various clubs and organizations, privately or government held. The knife, a Finnish fixed blade outdoor knife called a puukko, is given to trusted employers or contacts and always presented with the handle first to signify trust and friendly intentions.

#16: It is bad luck to say the word "knife" while at sea.

#17: One old wives' tales about white-handled knives is that they can tell you if your future spouse will be dark or fair by spinning it around. If the knife's handle comes to rest pointing at you (or whoever is asking the question), then that means your future spouse will be fair. If the handle points at anyone else, your future spouse will be dark-skinned.

#18: Another common superstition is that you should never put a combat knife back into its sheath if it hasn't drawn blood because it will fail you in battle.

#19: In some parts of America, people believe that sharpening any blade after the sun goes down is bad luck.

#20: Some hunters believe that the knife you use to kill game (not dress it) should never be handled by a woman.

#21: Slicing hot cornbread with a knife implies cutting your luck. A similar superstition says that piercing bread baked by a pregnant woman with a knife (or any pointed utensil) may cause the baby’s eyes to be poked out.

#22: If you cross your knife with your spoon after eating, you are indicating that the food didn't taste good and that you're wishing the cook to have bad luck.

#23: To make sure that a pregnant woman will give birth to a boy, the husband needs to stick a knife into the mattress of her bed.

#24: In China, it is believed that sleeping on a bed with knives under it will scare away evil spirits.

#25: According to Russian folklore, a knife laying with the sharp side up means that murderers are being born while it is left this way.

#26: Some knife owners, particularly those in the Philippines, believe in coating the blade with their blood if they accidentally cut themselves with it.

And, there you have it--twenty-six beautiful representations of what it means to revere knives (perhaps a little too much?!) As a word of warning though, if you decide to take up any of these superstitions, most women you know won’t take kindly to your stabbing a knife into the headboard of their babies’ beds. That’s one instance where people are wrong who say “it’s the thought that counts.” Just thought you might want to know.

Clothes make the man (or woman) even if you're only camping or hiking in the wild. Obviously, we're not telling you to dress fashionably. But what you wear while you're out camping is very important. A poor choice in clothing could turn what should have been an enjoyable trip into an extremely uncomfortable one. And sometimes, your clothes could mean life or death in the wild.

So, what do you wear when you go camping or hiking? Well, most of what you will need will depend on what season it is and the location you're planning on visiting. If the weather’s cold or you’re going to be high up in the mountains, obviously you’ll need clothes that will keep you warm. Hotter weather will mean lighter or less clothes. Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of clothes though, we’ll first focus on the one thing that matters most – your shoes.

What's the big deal with shoes? Well, should you happen to buy hiking or camping clothes that aren’t quite right, you can always supplement or subtract. If the weather is too cold for what you’re wearing, then you can wear more clothes. If it's too hot, wear clothes that are lighter (or just take off a layer). Unfortunately, if you're wearing the wrong shoes, you’re stuck like a pig who mistook quicksand for a muddy paradise. Your shoes can only go on or off. They don’t adhere to the supplement or subtract principle. With the wrong shoes, you’re risking foot pain, discomfort, or even injury (not great when you depend on your feet to get you home). So, if you're going to go hiking, there's only one option for you - hiking boots.

Hiking Boots

Hiking boots provide your feet ample comfort while making sure that there is limited flexibility at your ankles which prevents you from easily twisting your ankle (or worse) when you slip, stumble, or fall. They also help you maintain your balance even if you're walking on uneven ground. And if you’re against having sloshy muddy feet as you hike, you’ll definitely want hiking boots. They are usually 5-7 inches high, so your feet will be protected from any mud or water you encounter on the trail. (They incidentally also act as a great place to carry a small survival knife like the Cold Steel Super Edge 42SS).

To choose your hiking boots, the only thing you'll need to concern yourself with is the fit. While it's also good to listen to the advice of a salesperson or, better, an experienced friend, their recommendations won't be worth anything if the boots don't fit your feet comfortably.

Toe Space: Make sure that there's enough space in front of your toes when you're trying a boot on. This "feature" ensures that your toes won't keep hitting the front of the boot whenever you're hiking down a steep hill (an instant recipe for ingrown toenails).

Ankle Space(or lack thereof): Also, your boots of choice should not give your ankles much space. Too much space can cause your foot to slide up and down inside the boot while walking causing blisters.

Heavy Hiking Socks: Another tip you should keep in mind is to bring heavy hiking socks with you when you buy boots. This way, you can test the boots without having to guess how much space the socks will take up.

Take a Stroll: Lastly, try to spend as much time as you can walking with the boots on while you're inside the store before you consider buying one to ensure that you have found the right fit.

Rainwear

The next on our list is rainwear. No matter what the weatherman says, there's always a chance of rain especially high up in the mountains. Sure, a little bit of rain never hurt anyone, but getting soaked will not only be particularly uncomfortable, it can also lead to hypothermia if you stay wet when the weather is quite cold.

Your rain gear should be waterproof rather than water-resistant. This is because the latter only means that it will prevent you from getting wet when it's just light rain but not if it's a drenching one.

Your rain gear should also be breathable; it should allow your sweat to evaporate. It wouldn't do you any good if you got drenched by your own sweat rather than rain. Sweat is not any dryer or more comfortable.

Another consideration is venting. Your rain gear should have venting features like pit zips to increase its breathability. Adjustability and fit are features that you will also need to take into consideration. Having a rain jacket and pants that have an adjustable hood, cinch cords, and cuffs can help seal out the rain better. Your rain gear should also have enough space for you to be able to wear layering underneath while also allowing you to have a full range of motion.

Clothing

When it comes to hiking clothes, anything made of cotton is a no-no. Though cotton is really comfortable to wear, it has no insulation value when it gets wet, whether it be from rain or your sweat.It also gets another strike on the “fail” board because it is extremely hard to dry out. So, what should you choose? You want to get clothing that is made up of synthetics, wool, or silk - all of which provide excellent insulation even when they're wet. In addition, you should choose clothes that easily dry out when wet. The easier they are to dry, the less clothing you'll have to bring with you.

Another tip that you should keep in mind is layering. Though it makes sense to bring heavy, warm clothes if you're going to be hiking in cold weather, it's actually better if you choose several lighter layers of clothing to wear. This is because air is trapped between the layers (actually adding to the insulation value of your clothes). Another plus with layering is that you can take off layers when it's too hot or put more on when it becomes cold.

What else will you need? Below are some of the other types of clothing recommended for hiking:

heavy synthetic/wool socks or liner socks

roomy nylon "convertible" pants that can become shorts if needed

synthetic or silk underwear

nylon or synthetic t-shirt

light, fleece sweater

shell parka or windbreaker

mittens

wool or synthetic knitted cap or hat

As you get experience in different terrains and in different seasons, you’ll fine tune your excursion wardrobe to be perfect for you. If you’re not at that point yet, follow these clothing guidelines and your hiking trip is sure to be a success.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/13852081-10-great-survival-items-for-25-or-less2014-04-22T22:10:00-04:002017-07-31T15:41:10-04:0010 Great Survival Items for $25 or LessLeighton Taylor

With all the hullabaloo about the end of days, economic collapse, zombies, and the frequent occurrence of natural disasters, it isn't surprising that many people have started to take prepping more seriously. After all, you never know when you'll be in a survival situation. There’s not going to be a big, booming voice from the sky telling you that the end of the world as we know it is coming in 2 weeks, 5 days, 9hrs, and 21 minutes. It always pays to be prepared. Unfortunately, prepping isn't exactly cheap, but if you take the time to look, you’ll realize that you don’t have to be King Midas to get a good start prepping. To help you get started stocking up, I’ve compiled a list of 10 essential survival items that cost $25 or less. Now, THAT, you can do!

10 survival items that cost $25 or less:

A survival knife is arguably the most important tool that you'll ever need in any survival situation. Of course, you never know when you’ll find yourself in such a situation, so it might be a good idea to have a great survival knife with you at all times. This is exactly what Cold Steel’s Peace Makers do for you – enable you to carry a fixed blade knife very discreetly. It's expertly designed for versatility - hunting, fishing, skinning, self-defense, and other utility tasks that you'll need to accomplish while lost in the wild.

You can only survive 3 days without water.And if you're in any survival situation, you'll need to be able to get clean, drinking water at all times.This water filter can clean up to 1000 liters of contaminated water without having to resort to using any chemicals such as iodine or chlorine.

While it's often recommended that you build your own first aid kit from scratch, some might find it easier to just buy one with most of the essentials inside.This particular kit contains most of the commonly used first aid materials such as bandages, antiseptic wipes, and sting relief. It's the perfect size for anyone who's going camping or hiking.

While you might be pretty badass in the woods, not everyone contains Bear-Grylls-like talent in fire starting without matches. With these tricky little devils, you won’t have any trouble getting a fire started. You’ll feel like the USPS--rain, snow, sleet, or hail, they won’t ever fail! They even stay fully functional after being submerged in water.

You'll need something to protect you from the elements should you be forced to stay overnight in the wild.This waterproof tarp can help you keep dry at night, but won't take up too much room in your bug out bag. It's also pretty lightweight so you won't have trouble carrying it in your pack wherever you go.

When it comes to getting the attention of possible rescuers, this little survival item can certainly help you out. It's bright orange so it can be noticed easily. It has a whistle that you can use to signal nearby rescuers. It also has a signal mirror to help you alert rescue helicopters. A compass, waterproof match container, and flint are additional benefits that you’ll have with you if you’ve got this whistle when you get lost in the wild. All of these dandy features can be found in one small package that can easily fit into your pocket.

While a fire can give you light, it won't help you much if you need to travel at night, so you'll definitely need a flashlight if you don’t want to keep stumbling in the dark. The best feature of this flashlight is the fact that you won't ever need to replace the batteries. Just hand-cranking it for 60 seconds and you'll have it operating for 30 full minutes. Not bad at all!

If you find yourself in need of protein rich food, it'll make things a whole lot easier for you if you have some traps you can set. While some people are knowledgeable about creating small traps, I’m gonna take a stab in the murky dark and say that most people are not particularly skilled in this area. So, if you're a little trap-deficient in your survival knowledge, having these on hand will make life a lot easier. Just set it up, do something else that's equally productive(like setting up your camp), and then come back to get the next meal on your menu.

These reels are something else you might want to include in your list of survival items because it’ll make your hunt for food so much easier. Why are they awesome? It’s fishing made easy! You'll only need to bait the hook, tighten the line, and set the trigger. The rest will be done by the Mechanical Fisher.

A 550 cord has so many uses in any given survival situation that it had better be on your survival gear list. You can use the smaller strands for stitching holes in tarps, tents, or bags or as fishing lines or triggers for small snares and traps. The cord itself can be used to tie poles together if you're going to create a makeshift tent. You can also use paracord to secure your knife onto a wooden stick to make a spear. The list is endless, but a few other common uses include stringing up a clothesline for your wet clothing, tying things to your backpack, setting up a trip wire, and making a sling (weapon). Suffice it to say, with so many uses in a survival situation, this is an item you don’t want to leave home without.

Twenty-five dollars may not seem like a lot, but in the world of survival gear, it can go a lot farther than you might have thought. What other gear have you gotten for less than $25 that should be added to our list?

Today’s knife review of choice is the lightweight little brother of the Buck Hoodlum--the Buck 65 Hood Punk knife--the prince of the campsite. From the tip of the blade to the butt of the handle, this survival knife measures 11 inches and weighs a measly 7.4 oz. Include the sheath and you’re at 13 oz. You’re not going to tire out using this knife!

Let’s talk some specifics though.

The Blade

With the Hood Punk, you’ve got a 5160 powder-coated steel blade measuring about 5 5/8”with a 57-59 HRC. The 5160 spring steel is very similar to 1095 but is tougher and more durable. The high carbon spring steel does mean that you should expect a little bit of rust to show up especially if you’re living in a humid area. The flat, gray powder coating on the knife is definitely not a heavy duty, long lasting job, so it won’t take too long to wear some of that coating off.

When you get a chance to hold this piece of royalty in your hands, you’ll notice that the 3/16 inch blade thickness is consistent from butt to tip. The blade itself is a pretty classic, slight clip design. It’s got a great amount of belly with a nice full, flat grind, and this is why we say the Buck Punk is the prince of the campsite. The full, flat grind with all that belly is great for feathering, whittling, slicing, and food prep in general. Buck grinds all of their knives at 13-15 degrees, so this blade is sure to give you a really aggressive grind angle for any work you’re going to do around the campsite.

The Handle

The Buck Hood Punk is hollow-handled and covered with micarta handle scales. The screws make it easy to take on and off and the hollow handle creates a little bit of space that can be used to carry matches or tinder (super useful in a survival situation). The main complaint about the handle is that the micarta scales are a little rough. A file is an easy fix to that issue though.

What else? The handles are equipped with a shock mitigation system to give you a bit of ease with heavy use. The grip is very comfortable and cups the hand well. The thumb ramp and finger choils make for a comfortable hold whether you’re choking up on the knife for more detailed work or a more relaxed grip for slicing or carving.

Other than the sharp-edged micarta handle scales, the only other potential negative about the handle is the thumb ramp. Some knife enthusiasts say it’s completely unnecessary while others are disappointed that it has no jimping. For most people, though, it’s not really a problem.

The Sheath

The sheath for the Buck 65 Hood Punk knife is a bit of a conundrum. It’s got some neat features. There’s a pocket on the front side that’s big enough for a multi-tool, mini survival kit, or even a sharpener. It’s M.O.L.L.E compatible and comes with 550 paracord so you could lash it around your leg or a velcro attachment system so you can attach it to your belt without having to take your belt off. It’s pretty flexible for different carry styles.

For the knife, the sheath includes a big, plastic insert and dual lashing to keep it in place. There’s a snap strap that fits around the handle as well as paracord with lashing to keep the knife pretty sturdy in the sheath.

Gideonstactical is not alone in his feelings about the sheath being bigger than what the knife needs. If you bought the knife wanting to take advantage of all of the features sheath, then the sheath is a great part of your purchase. However, if you bought the knife because of how streamlined and lightweight it is, the sheath will be a bit of a disappointment.

Performance

The Buck 65 Hood Punk knife is a great all around camp knife. Being a smaller knife, it’s not a great chopper, but it performs better than most knives its size. It’ll definitely get the job done, but you’re also going to spend a good bit of energy.

The Buck Punk is a sturdy piece of steel so for batoning, anything 5 inches or less in diameter is going to be a piece of cake. The finger choils also give a nice grip for feathering and slicing. If it ends up being a food slicing knife, it’s not going to turn your food into baby mash.

Why We Like the Buck Hood Punk 0065BKSBH

The buck 65 hood punk is overall an awesome, lightweight backpacking/camping/survival knife. It’s incredibly tough and durable; it’s a knife that will last you a lifetime. As a Buck Knife, you know that it’s made in the USA, and, as usual, has Buck’s “forever warranty.” Interested in checking it out? May I present to you the Buck Hood Punk 0065BKSBH.

“A gentleman...keeps a blade by his side.” Admit it. You’re smiling, if not outwardly, then inwardly. You’ve already taken out your mental pad and paper and are scrolling down to the bottom of your list of “Reasons to Always Carry a Knife.” This one goes on the list. After all, it was a military strategist who made this statement, and you never know when it’ll be TEOTWAWKI and you’ll need your survival knife. Most of all, you want to be a gentleman (or ladies, you want to be as prepared and gentle-lady-ish as possible--and of course that includes a knife).

Why Else Should You Carry a Knife

Why else should you carry a knife? After a brief traipse through the beloved world wide web, I’ve collected a list of 20 reasons your knife-loving peers find to carry a knife.X

“A gentleman...keeps a blade by his side.” Admit it. You’re smiling, if not outwardly, then inwardly. You’ve already taken out your mental pad and paper and are scrolling down to the bottom of your list of “Reasons to Always Carry a Knife.” This one goes on the list. After all, it was a military strategist who made this statement, and you never know when it’ll be TEOTWAWKI and you’ll need your survival knife. Most of all, you want to be a gentleman (or ladies, you want to be as prepared and gentle-lady-ish as possible--and of course that includes a knife).

Why Else Should You Carry a Knife

Why else should you carry a knife? After a brief traipse through the beloved world wide web, I’ve collected a list of 20 reasons your knife-loving peers find to carry a knife.

“Because once a boy scout[,] always a boyscout[,] and our motto is Be Prepared” -Soup Dragon; edcforums

Rambo had one, as did Crocodile Dundee.

For protection/self-defense

As a paper weight

For decoration

To measure something without a tape measure

To stir cream into coffee

For general fashion

To clean your teeth

To post an announcement on the wall or a telephone pole

To scratch your back when your arm just isn’t long enough

To open a letter

To mend a broken fence

You never know when you’re going to have to MacGyver your way out of a crisis.

It’s a multi-purpose blade that anyone who operates in the outdoors can use, whether they need to cut back brush, slice rope, start a fire, or in a worst-case scenario, provide self-defense from a wild animal or another person.

What about you?

So what about you? Do you have a survival knife strapped to your belt, a pocket knife hiding out in your pants pocket, or a boot knife securely tied into the laces of your shoe? Why do you carry a knife (or is it multiple knives)?

The first thing you’ll notice when the video begins is that it looks like a giant is holding a survival knife. Relax and breath easy. What you’re looking at is the Cold Steel Super Edge 42SS. It’s 4 5/16 inches long and weighs .8oz without the sheath (under 2 oz. with the sheath). The blade is a beautifully serrated 2 inches of Cold Steel AUS8 steel.

This little devil was designed to be fairly incognito. If you look at the design of the Secure-Ex sheath and the Kray-Exhandle of the knife you can just let your imagination go wild with the number of places you could carry this. The most obvious ways to carry this knife is as a neck knife or as a boot knife, but the options are endless.

Some suggestions:

on the zipper of your hoody

on your purse (if you are a female or a purse carrying man)

on your backpack

on your fanny pack (you 80s-loving weirdo)

on your BOB

basically anything with a zipper or string or lace-up option

The Cold Steel Super Edge 42SS is:

lightweight

compact

and very, very sharp

Overall a great performing knife.

More Specifically

So what specifically did cutlerylover have to say about it. First, he really likes to use it as his boot knife. He laces it through the front of his boot or sneaker so that it rests on the tongue of the shoe. In fact, he says that no-one has ever noticed it there unless he’s pointed it out.

As a boot knife, it’s great. As a neck knife, the Cold Steel Super Edge leaves something to be desired mostly because of the handle. Why?

The handle is made of Kray-Ex and is very grippy. Offhand, this seems like a great feature, and it is, unless you’re wearing the Cold Steel Super Edge as a neck knife. The grippiness makes up for the small size of the handle for a confident hold, but that grippiness does not do well with neck skin, chest hair, or t-shirts. The handle seems to do a twisty love dance with anything that it touches.

Second complaint about the handle is that the guard makes the knife a bit bulky for a neck knife. The sheath has to bulge out in order to fit the full guard of the Super Edge, which makes it a little too bulgy for the ideal neck knife.

Cold Steel Super Edge Serrations

The blade of the Super Edge is serrated, alternating a scallop edge with micro-serrations. While a fully-scalloped serrated edge might be preferred, the micro-serrations of the Cold Steel Super Edge are about as good as they come. Often, micro-serrated knife-edges fail because the serrations are too deep. This results in the knife to catching while you cut through things. Deep serrations are also difficult to keep sharp enough to function well for very long. The Super Edge’s micro-serrations are fairly shallow which allows them to stay sharper for longer and helps them not to catch as often on whatever you’re cutting.

Cutlerylover says that in his opinion, the knife, under constant use, would last for 5-6 months before needing to be resharpened. At this point, he throws his away. We all know that it can be challenging for anyone to sharpen serrations, let alone return the serrations to a factory edge.If you don’t feel like tackling the project of re-sharpening a serrated knife, we recommend turning the serrated Super Edge into a straight-edge!

Why we like the Cold Steel Super Edge:

It’s a great, inexpensive, incognito, always-carry-with-you knife. Laced to your shoe or bag or shirt as a regular accessory, you’ll always have a knife with you even if you end up in an unintentional survival situation.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/12685721-baby-its-cold-outside-making-the-most-of-your-insulation-opportunities2014-03-05T11:51:00-05:002014-03-21T17:32:33-04:00Baby It's Cold Outside: Making the Most of Your Insulation OpportunitiesLeighton TaylorFood, water, and shelter-- the three life-sustaining essentials that survivalists preach over and over (and over) again. Not all survival situations are created equal, however, so these three gods of survival don’t always rank in the same order of importance. For example, in a cold weather survival situation, you could be well-stocked with a satchel full of expertly trapped small game, but having a full-belly with preparations for the next few days of food survival won’t do you an ounce of good if you’ve frozen to death your first night in the wilderness.

In a cold weather survival situation, shelter and warmth are king and queen in the survival hierarchy. Whether you’re semi-prepared with a tent and sleeping bag, or completely unprepared, there are lots of little tips that just might save you from frostbite, hypothermia, or even a slow, cold, miserable death. So what should you do to insulate yourself from the cold? As Ben Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” Keep reading to learn some tips that can help you keep warm and dry even when it’s extremely cold outside. Let the investing begin!

How to Keep Warm:

Insulating yourself

The most important part of keeping warm is making sure that your body is properly insulated. This means that it not just about having enough clothes. What is even more important is that you know how to maximize the warmth that your clothes provide you.

Tip #1: Cover your most vulnerable areas.

Now, before you go and layer on all the clothes you have with you to ward off the chill, you need to remember that there are certain parts of your body that are more vulnerable to losing body heat-- namely your head, neck, wrist, hands, feet, and ankles. In fact, an uncovered head can cause you to lose 40-45% of your body heat. ACK! So it’s extremely important that these areas are adequately covered.

Tip#2: Keep your clothes clean and dry.

Soiled or dirty clothes lose much of their insulation value – they won’t keep you as warm as clean clothes can. “Dirty clothes?” you ask. Yep. This is because dirt and sweat reduce air pockets in your clothes which ends up causing heat to escape more quickly from your body. Dry clothing is important to keeping warm. Wear clothes that are water repellant or at least not made of absorbent cotton so it won't get damp or wet that easily. If your clothes do get wet, make sure to change into dry ones immediately.

Tip#3: Avoid overheating.

Though it may not seem possible, you can actually cause your body to overheat in cold weather. When this happens, you will start to sweat - your body's way of cooling off, and when you cool off, you lose body heat that's essential to keeping warm. Bad news. To top it all, your clothes become damp which reduces their ability to keep you insulated. So, if you feel like your body is starting to overheat, adjust the amount of clothing you are wearing. Uncover your head or use lighter headgear. You can also uncover your hands or partially open your jacket to help dissipate your extra body heat.

Tip#4: Wear loose, layered clothing.

If you want to keep yourself warm, it is important that you wear clothing that won't restrict your blood flow. Blood circulation helps keep you warm. In addition, layering your clothing traps air between your body and the environment which helps insulate your body. To increase insulation, let your inner homeless man out (don’t be ashamed...we all have one) and put fibrous materials such as grass or dried leaves between your layers of clothing. This is a great way, again, to increase the amount of trapped air.

Tip #5: Start a fire.

Not only will a fire will keep you warm, but it can also be used to cook food or heat water. Consuming food and water can also help keep you warm. Fire is also particularly useful for drying out any damp or wet clothes you have. (Imagine that!)

Staying active can help keep you warm because it helps increase blood circulation. I’m not advocating an hour of intense working out because this would make you sweat (which we’ve already said makes you LOSE heat). A great "passive" exercise you can do to increase circulation without breaking out in a sweat is to tense and relax your muscles for a few minutes.

Tip #7: Think about your internal body temperature.

Your body works really hard to keep its internal temperature at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Sure, snow might seem like a good source for water, but the very fact that it’s cold means that your body has to put out more energy to melt it and bring it to normal body temperature. So, when you are considering food/drink, go the extra mile and heat it up over the fire. If you find yourself lying in your nicely insulated sleeping bag and realize that you really “have to go,” don’t wait. “Holding it” just wastes energy by giving your body extra fluid to keep warm.

Insulating your shelter

Tip #1: Make your shelter just large enough to accommodate you.

Keeping the space inside your shelter small will ensure that you only have a small amount of air to keep warm thereby conserving your body heat. In addition, a smaller space will take less time to heat so you’ll be warm in no time.

Tip #2: Use fibrous materials to insulate your shelter.

Whether you are lucky enough to have a tent or if you’re building a makeshift shelter using your trusty survival knife, you’ll need to add layers to it in order to keep it warm and cozy. Using materials like dead leaves, moss, pine needles, and grass to layer the inside and the outside of your shelter will create additional air pockets that will help keep the heat inside. You’ll also want to use these same materials on the floor of your shelter to prevent the cold ground from zapping your body heat. Do this even if you have a heavy duty sleeping bag to make sure that your sleeping bag will remain dry.

Place a hot water bottle inside your sleeping bag. You can also opt to stuff your sleeping bag with your loose gear or fibrous materials to lessen the amount of air and space that you poor body is working so hard to keep warm.

Tip #4: Block the entrance of your shelter to keep the heat in and the wind out.

Tip #5: Avoid building shelter on low ground such as narrow valleys or ravines.

Cold air is heavier than warm air, so these areas will be colder (especially at night) than the high ground surrounding them.

What? No Shelter?

Now, if by any chance you aren’t able to build your own shelter or you don’t have a tent, there are some natural wilderness shelters that will go a long way in helping you to stay warm. Natural formations like caves, trees, and rocky crevices can provide you a much needed cover from the wind. Fallen trees and logs can also act as useful windbreakers. If you can, try digging out a small pit beside the log or tree using your survival knife or a sharp rock to give you more cover. Once you find your temporary shelter, you can start insulating it by creating a fire and layering the ground with fibrous materials. If you happen to be in the desert, make sure to use sun heated rocks to keep yourself warm at night. Those sun-heated rocks, incidentally, work as great heat reflectors and wind blockers to keep behind you as you sleep near your fire.

In a cold weather survival situation, keeping yourself warm is the most important thing you'll need to do to be able to make it through the night. Cold weather can make you feel uncomfortable (yes, even more so that you already do given that you are in a survival situation) and can even result in frostbite, hypothermia, or both. Even worse, feeling cold and extremely uncomfortable can make you lose your will to live. So be prepared. Remember these tips. Store them in your mental reserves to be pulled out and used if you ever find yourself in an unfortunately cold survival situation.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/12520969-hello-hydration-unexpected-water-sources-for-survival-situations2014-02-26T11:18:38-05:002014-03-21T17:32:44-04:00Hello Hydration: Unexpected Water Sources for Survival SituationsLeighton TaylorWhether you’re safe in the heart of civilization or lost in the wild, water is one of those essentials that you just can’t do without. And, if fate is determined to be cruel to you and places you into an unprepared survival situation, you’re going to have to work quickly to find water. Now, we all know that rivers and streams are excellent sources of water, but what if you can’t find one?

*Enter the life-giving saviors: knowledge and preparedness*

Rivers and streams, while the most obvious sources for water, are not the only sources for water. Knowing where to look to find water can be the difference between life and miserable death by dehydration. Remember what Ray Mears said: “Knowledge is the key to survival, the real beauty of that is that it doesn't weigh anything.” So take out your weightless mental notepad and get ready to store up some of these unexpected sources of water.

Unexpected Water Sources

Lost in the Desert

One of the things we all know about the desert is its lack of easily noticed and available water from lush rivers and flowing streams. There are, however, plenty of hidden sources if you only know where to look. One of the "unusual" spots for a water source is the ground. You'll find groundwater in the following locations:

the foot of rock outcrops, cliffs, or mountain ranges

damp/wet surface sand or soil

the foot of concave banks of dry river beds

the outside bend of a dry stream bed

where green vegetation or water-loving trees such as willows, cottonwoods, sycamores, hackberries, cattails, and ashes are located

the depression behind a dry desert lake's first sand dune

To get the water, simply dig holes using your survival knife or shovel (if you have one with you). Make sure that the holes are deep enough for water to seep in.

You can also find water in rocks, especially porous ones. Depressions, holes, and fissures in rocks might also contain water, usually as a result of recent rainfall. Siphon the water using some flexible tubing (an item that should definitely be in your Bug Out Bag along with your survival knife), or in a less ideal situation, make some tubing out of hollow plant stems.

Lastly, you can get water through condensation. Turn over half-buried rocks a little before dawn and wait for dew to form. Desert grass will also have some condensation as morning sets in. Use a cloth to absorb the dew and wring it off into a container.

To get a better idea of how to search for water when in the desert, especially in these unusual spots, check out the video below:

Lost in the Forest, Wilderness, or Tropics

While these environments may have more water sources than a desert, you won't always find yourself near the obvious water souces like rivers and streams. Fortunately, there are also several unusual places where you can find water in these environments.

1.) Trees and plants are a great source of drinking water.

Some trees have water-filled holes from which you can get water. Watch for bees or ants going into a hole in a tree because they may be pointing you to a hidden water source.

You can also find water in tree crotches.

Certain trees and plants actually hold/contain water.

Green bamboo thickets

Banana or plantain trees

Some tropical vines

Ferns

Palm trees (such as coconut and rattan)

Traveler's trees (in Madagascar)

Umbrella trees (in Africa)

Baobab trees (in Australia and Africa)

With your survival knife, you can cut into the tree, vine, stem, branch, or root to get your water. For some, such as vines and bamboos, you can let the water within the plant drip into your container or straight into your mouth. For some trees such as banana trees, you'll need to cut down the tree, scoop out a bit of the stump's center and then wait for the water from the roots to rise up and fill your makeshift bowl.

Plants that have moist pulpy centers can be squeezed or smashed so you can collect the moisture within. For roots, you will need to cut the pieces into smaller ones before smashing them so you can collect water.

Lastly, you can use the vegetation as a source of heavy dew (Would we call that Veggie Dew?)

2.) Another hidden cache of water in the wilderness and a forest is the ground.

Just like in the desert, you’ll need to look for certain clues that will tell you where to dig. Muddy or damp soil is usually an indication that there is water in the ground. Birds, bees, mosquitoes, and other kinds of wildlife will usually show you where there is a water source, even if it’s just a small puddle in a dry river bed. To collect groundwater, dig a one-foot-deep hole and wait for water to fill it.

While none of these water sources will come close to satisfying your thirst like a icy pitcher of water, every little bit of water increases your chances of survival. So, the next time you find yourself in need of possible water sources, keep in mind that the obvious ones are not your only choices. The hidden caches of water just might be right under your fingertips.

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https://www.survivalknifeexperts.com/blogs/the-survival-guide-blog/11611577-how-to-find-food-and-water-in-a-cold-weather-survival-situation2014-01-15T16:10:06-05:002014-03-21T17:30:39-04:00How to find food and water in a cold weather survival situationLeighton TaylorFood and water are both necessary for survival whether you’re in the middle of Manhattan or stranded in the wilderness. The only difference is that it’s easier to “forage” for these basic necessities in a civilized setting than it is in a survival situation, especially in severe weather.

Since you never know when you may find yourself in a cold weather survival situation, it pays to have a little bit of knowledge just in case.

In this article, we’ll discuss some tips on how to find food and, more importantly, water when trapped in severely cold weather with no amenities or rescue in sight.

Water

Despite what may seem intuitive, staying hydrated is just as important in a cold environment as it is in a warm or hot one. Though cold weather normally doesn’t make you sweat, you still lose water continuously.

There are several reasons for this. Your body loses precious fluid due to the cold, the stress you're under, and any physical exertion you do. In addition, you may also be contributing to fluid loss by drinking coffee to keep you warm which can cause you to urinate more frequently. In any case, it is extremely important to replace any of the lost fluid in order for you to be able to function effectively--something that is absolutely essential in a survival situation.

Ok, so you know water is important. Now comes the tough part--you’ll need to know where to get an adequate supply. And in an extremely cold environment, the only source of water you are most likely to find is snow and ice. So, how do you get water from snow and ice? Below are several tips to help you out.

Tips on Melting Ice and Snow for Water:

Use your body heat to melt snow by putting it in a container (i.e. water bag, can, flask) and then placing that container in between layers of your clothing.

Use fire to melt the snow. You can place a container filled with ice/snow near the fire or, if you don't have a container available, make a snow marshmallow (packed snow placed on top of a stick) and place it near the fire then use any available material you have to catch the drops of water.

Ice is a better source of water than snow since it yields more water and takes less time to melt.

Melt snow or ice in small amounts, adding more and more as soon as the previous amount has melted.

Make sure that your container is not filled completely. This prevents the water from freezing. You should also keep your water right next to you to keep it from freezing again.

For a more detailed look at how to melt snow for water, check out the video below:

Take note, if the area you are in happens to have sources of drinkable water such as flowing bodies of water (i.e. rivers, streams), then don’t bother wasting fuel or energy on melting ice or snow. Just make sure to strain the water to get rid of any sediment and boil it for at least 10 minutes to purify it.

Food

According to what the survival experts call “The Rule of Threes”, you can survive three weeks without food. This means that you don’t really have to worry much about starving to death in most survival situations though feeling hunger can make you feel worse off than you really are. In a cold weather survival situation, however, food is quite important to survival because the calories and fat you consume helps keep your body warm. So, how do you feed yourself when trapped in a cold environment? Check out our tips below.

Tips for Procuring Food:

Insects and worms can be found in almost any location; their nesting grounds are usually underground, within rotten wood, or beneath rocks. Be sure to boil them though before consuming and avoid eating any bugs that are brightly colored, pungent, or hairy.

Hunting or trapping animals is also a good way to gather some grub though it isn’t going to be easy. You should keep in mind that although a large animal would feed you for a long time, it's much harder to trap/hunt than a small one.

When hunting or trapping, look for clues that prove animals frequently pass by the area. Some examples to look out for include trails, tracks, droppings, water areas, and chewed vegetation.

Fish, clams, and snails are also a good source of food if you're lost in an area that has bodies of water. Avoid eating any mussels though during the summer months because they contain toxins that are only present during that time.

If you want to eat some vegetation, you should be careful to avoid the following: white and red berries, mushrooms (unless you can identify them), water hemlock, and any plants that look like melons, cucumbers, or beans because they are frequently found to be poisonous.

Reptiles are a good source of protein and none of them are inedible though the poisonous ones do present some danger when you’re trying to catch it.

Some wild plants that you can eat include acorns, chickweed, burdock (also known as wild rhubarb), cattails (the lower stalks and rhizomes), and watercress. Just keep in mind that when in doubt, it's best not to eat the plant.

If you want more information on how to hunt, fish, and trap your food, check out our post about using a survival knife to feed yourself in the wilderness here.